(1)

On 19 November 2013 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations on behalf of the Union in order to conclude a new international agreement on olive oil and table olives.

(2)

The text of the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015 (‘the Agreement’) was adopted on 9 October 2015 by the representatives of 24 Member States of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and two intergovernmental organisations during the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2005.

(3)

In accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2016/1892 (1), the Agreement was signed on behalf of the Union on 28 November 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, subject to its conclusion at a later date.

(4)

The Agreement entered into force provisionally on 1 January 2017 in accordance with Article 31(2) thereof.

(5)

The Council of Members is the decision-making organ of the International Olive Council and exercises all powers and performs all the functions necessary to achieve the objectives of the Agreement. The Commission should be authorised to represent the Union in the Council of Members.

(6)

In accordance with Article 19(2) of the Agreement, the Council of Members is able to amend the designations and definitions of olive oils, olive pomace oils and table olives provided for in Annexes B and C to the Agreement, and thus amend the Agreement.

(7)

In order to facilitate the adoption of such amendments to the Agreement by the Council of Members and to avoid the risk of not having a Union position, the Commission should be authorised to approve such proposed amendments on behalf of the Union, under specific substantive and procedural conditions.

(8)

In order to ensure that the approval by the Commission of the proposed amendments to Annexes B and C to the Agreement is in conformity with the conditions laid down in this Decision, the Commission should submit those proposed amendments sufficiently in advance to the Council.

(9)

The conformity of the proposed amendments submitted by the Commission to the Council should be assessed by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the governments of the Member States (‘Coreper’). The Commission should approve those proposed amendments unless a number of Member States representing a blocking minority of the Council in accordance with Article 16(4) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) objects to them in Coreper.

(10)

The Agreement should be approved,

(1)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1492 (2) authorises cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) as nutritional additive for all animal species. In that Regulation, the maximum authorised content of vitamin D3 for fish is 3 000 IU/kg of complete feedingstuff.

(2)

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) submitted studies on the safety of vitamin D3 for fish and consumers at substantially higher levels (60 000 IU/kg of complete feedingstuff) than the maximum authorised content.

(3)

For control purposes the results of calculation of tolerance levels can lead to a discrepancy in values between the two units (mg or IU). For this reason, the levels in the authorisation should be established only in International Units.

(4)

On the basis of the data submitted by the NFSA, the European Food Safety Authority concluded in its opinions of 25 January 2017 (3) and 29 November 2018 (4) that a total level of 60 000 IU of vitamin D3 per kg of complete feedingstuff is safe for consumers and the environment. The European Food Safety Authority also concluded that the levels proposed were safe for salmonids. For other fish, no sufficient data were available to conclude on the safety for a total level of 60 000 IU vitamin D3/kg of complete feedingstuff. Consequently, the authorisation should be restricted to salmonids. It also concluded in the opinion of 13 November 2012 (5) that vitamin D3 is not an irritant to skin and eyes and is not a skin sensitiser. For some formulations of vitamin D3 there is a potential for workers to be exposed to high levels of vitamin D3 by inhalation. Inhaled vitamin D3 is highly toxic. Exposure to dust is harmful to persons handling the additive. As the levels of vitamin D3 have been increased this may have implications for user safety, therefore, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent adverse effects on human health, in particular as regards the users of the additive.

(5)

The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1492 should therefore be amended accordingly.

(6)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,

(1)

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 lists the persons, groups and entities covered by the freezing of funds and economic resources under that Regulation.

(2)

On 21 May 2019, the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council decided to remove one entry from the list of persons, groups and entities to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources should apply. Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

Action by the Union in the sector of maritime transport should aim to protect the marine environment and improve maritime safety.

(2)

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (‘MEPC’) of the International Maritime Organization (‘IMO’), during its 74th session on 13 to 17 May 2019 (‘MEPC 74’), is expected to adopt amendments to Annex II to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (‘MARPOL Annex II’).

(3)

The Maritime Safety Committee (‘MSC’) of the IMO, during its 101st session on 5 to 14 June 2019 (‘MSC 101’), is expected to adopt amendments to the International Code on the Enhanced Programme of Inspections During Surveys of Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, 2011 (‘2011 ESP Code’), amendments to the International Life-Saving Appliance Code (‘LSA Code’), amendments to the Records of Equipment (Forms C, E and P of the appendix to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (‘SOLAS’)) and amendments to parts A and A-1 of the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels (‘IGF Code’).

(4)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union's behalf during MEPC 74, as the amendments to MARPOL Annex II will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Directive 2005/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and Directive 2000/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2).

(5)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union's behalf during MSC 101 as: the amendments to the 2011 ESP Code will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Regulation (EU) No 530/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3); the amendments to the LSA Code will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/773 (4) and Directive 2014/90/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (5); the amendments to the SOLAS Convention will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (6); and the amendments to the IGF Code will be capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Directive 2009/45/EC.

(6)

The amendments to MARPOL Annex II should ensure reduction of the impact on the environment related to cargo residues and tank washings of persistent floating products with a high viscosity and/or a high melting point.

(7)

The amendments to the 2011 ESP Code should include editorial changes to the Code, identifying all mandatory requirements and improving the tables and forms, as well as merge those editorial changes with text regarding new substantial requirements in order to reflect recent updates to the International Association of Classification Societies' Unified Requirements Z10 series.

(8)

The amendments to paragraph 6.1.1.3 of the LSA Code should ensure uniform implementation concerning manual launching of small rescue boats that are not one of a ship's survival craft.

(9)

The amendments to paragraph 4.4.8.1 of the LSA Code should ensure exemption for lifeboats with two independent propulsion systems from the obligation to be equipped with sufficient buoyant oars and related items to make headway in calm seas.

(10)

The amendments to item 8.1 in Records of Equipment Forms C, E and P in the appendix to the SOLAS Convention should ensure clarity as regards the fact that not all of the indicators listed are applicable to all ships and that the indicators can therefore be deleted as appropriate.

(11)

The amendments to parts A and A-1 of the IGF Code should ensure consistency regarding the existing requirements for ships using natural gas as fuel by introducing necessary amendments based on the experience gained as regards application of the Code.

(12)

The Union is not a member of the IMO, nor a contracting party to the relevant conventions and codes. The Council should therefore authorise the Member States to express the position of the Union and to express their consent to be bound by those amendments, to the extent that those amendments fall under the exclusive competence of the Union,

(1)

Article 300 of the Treaty sets out the rules for the composition of the Committee of the Regions.

(2)

Council Decision 2014/930/EU (1) adapted the composition of the Committee of the Regions following the accession of Croatia. The number of members for each of Estonia, Cyprus and Luxembourg was reduced by one in order to address the discrepancy between the maximum number of members of the Committee of the Regions set out in the first paragraph of Article 305 of the Treaty and the number of members of the Committee of the Regions following the accession of Croatia.

(3)

The preamble to Decision 2014/930/EU states that that Decision is to be revised in time for the mandate of the Committee of the Regions starting in 2020.

(4)

On 3 July 2018, the Committee of the Regions adopted recommendations to the Commission and to the Council on its future composition.

(5)

The current balance in the composition of the Committee of the Regions should as far as possible be maintained as it is the result of successive Intergovernmental Conferences.

(6)

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union would result in 24 vacant seats in the Committee of the Regions. Therefore, the balance in the allocation of seats that existed before the adoption of Decision 2014/930/EU should be restored,

(1)

Article 300 of the Treaty sets out the rules for the composition of the European Economic and Social Committee.

(2)

Council Decision (EU) 2015/1157 (1) adapted the composition of the European Economic and Social Committee following the accession of Croatia. The number of members for each of Estonia, Cyprus and Luxembourg was reduced by one in order to address the discrepancy between the maximum number of members of the European Economic and Social Committee set out in the first paragraph of Article 301 of the Treaty and the number of members of the European Economic and Social Committee following the accession of Croatia.

(3)

The preamble to Decision (EU) 2015/1157 states that that Decision is to be revised in time for the mandate of the European Economic and Social Committee starting in 2020.

(4)

On 18 September 2018, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted recommendations to the Commission and to the Council on its future composition.

(5)

The current balance in the composition of the European Economic and Social Committee should as far as possible be maintained as it is the result of successive Intergovernmental Conferences.

(6)

The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union would result in 24 vacant seats in the European Economic and Social Committee. Therefore, the balance in the allocation of seats that existed before the adoption of Decision (EU) 2015/1157 should be restored,