(1)

By Decision 2003/96/EC (2), the Council approved the conclusion of the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine (3) (‘the Agreement’). The Agreement was signed in Copenhagen on 4 July 2002 and entered into force on 11 February 2003.

(2)

Point (b) of Article 12 of the Agreement provided that the Agreement would be concluded for an initial period ending on 31 December 2002 and would be renewable by common agreement between the parties for additional periods of five years.

(3)

On the basis of Council Decisions 2003/737/EC (4), 2011/182/EU (5) and (EU) 2015/344 (6), the Agreement was renewed for three additional periods of five years each time, with retroactive effect as of 8 November 2009 and 8 November 2014 for the last two renewals. The Agreement expired on 7 November 2019.

(4)

Ukraine is an important actor in science, technology and innovation in the neighbourhood of the Union. In order to continue facilitating cooperation in common science and technology priority areas, both parties consider that the renewal of the Agreement would be in their mutual interest.

(5)

Both parties have confirmed their intention to renew the Agreement for an additional period of five years. The content of the renewed Agreement should remain identical to the content of the Agreement. For the purpose of ensuring continuity of the Agreement, the renewal should have retroactive effect as of 8 November 2019.

(6)

The renewal of the Agreement should therefore be approved on behalf of the Union,

(1)

By Decision 2002/648/EC (2), the Council approved the conclusion of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of India (3). This Agreement was signed in New Delhi on 23 November 2001 and entered into force on 14 October 2002. By Decision 2009/501/EC (4), the Council approved the conclusion of an Agreement renewing the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of India (5), which renewed and slightly modified the Agreement signed in 2001. It was signed in New Delhi on 30 November 2007 and entered into force on 17 May 2010. This Agreement together with the Agreement signed in 2001 are referred to as ‘the Agreement’.

(2)

In accordance with point (b) of Article 11 of the Agreement, the Agreement was concluded for a period of five years and can be renewed by mutual agreement between the parties after evaluation during the last year of the five-year period.

(3)

By Decision (EU) 2015/1788 (6) the Council approved the renewal of the Agreement for an additional period of five years. The Agreement is due to expire on 17 May 2020.

(4)

The evaluation carried out by Commission services demonstrates that the Agreement provides an important framework for facilitating cooperation between the Union and India in common science and technology priority areas leading to mutual benefits for the parties. It is therefore in the Union’s interest to renew the Agreement for an additional period of five years.

(5)

Both parties have confirmed their intention to renew the Agreement for an additional period of five years without any amendment to the Agreement.

(6)

The renewal of the Agreement should therefore be approved on behalf of the Union,

(1)

The Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Mongolia, of the other part (1) (the ‘Agreement’), entered into force on 1 November 2017.

(2)

Article 56(1) of the Agreement establishes a Joint Committee to ensure the proper functioning and implementation of the Agreement (the ‘Joint Committee’).

(3)

Article 56(6) of the Agreement provides that the Joint Committee is to adopt its own rules of procedure and Article 56(4) of the Agreement provides that it may set up specialised working groups in order to assist it in the performance of its tasks.

(4)

Article 28(1) of the Agreement establishes a Subcommittee on Trade and Investment.

(5)

Article 28(3) of the Agreement provides that the Subcommittee on Trade and Investment is to establish its rules of procedure.

(6)

In order to ensure the effective implementation of the Agreement, the rules of procedure of the Joint Committee and of the Subcommittee on Trade and Investment should be adopted as soon as possible.

(7)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the Joint Committee and the Subcommittee on Trade and Investment.

(8)

The position of the Union within the Joint Committee and the Subcommittee on Trade and Investment should therefore be based on the draft Decisions of the Joint Committee and of the Subcommittee on Trade and Investment,

(1)

The Union acceded to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail of 9 May 1980 as amended by the Vilnius Protocol of 3 June 1999 (the ‘COTIF’) in accordance with Council Decision 2013/103/EU (1).

(2)

All Member States, with the exception of Cyprus and Malta, are parties to the COTIF.

(3)

Pursuant to letter f) of Article 13 § 1 of the COTIF, the Committee of Technical Experts (CTE) of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) was set up.

(4)

Pursuant to letter b) of Article 20 § 1 of the COTIF, and in accordance with Article 6 of Appendix F (APTU), the CTE is competent to adopt or to amend, inter alia, uniform technical prescriptions (UTP) concerning freight wagons, vehicle marking and rolling stock noise. In accordance with Article 13 §§ 1, 4 and 5 of Appendix G (ATMF), the CTE is also competent to take decisions on the set-up or modification, merging or withdrawal of the national vehicle registers (NVR). Finally, in accordance with Article 15 § 2 of Appendix G (ATMF), the CTE is competent to adopt and to amend rules for the certification and auditing of entities in charge of maintenance (ECM).

(5)

The CTE has included in the agenda of its 13th session, to take place on 16 and 17 June 2020, proposals for decisions to amend the UTP concerning freight wagons, vehicle marking and rolling stock noise, on a full revision of the rules for the certification and auditing of ECM and on a full revision of the specifications concerning NVR.

(6)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the CTE, as the proposed amendments will be binding on the Union.

(7)

The objective of those proposed amendments is to align the UTP concerning freight wagons, vehicle marking and rolling stock noise, as well as the rules for certification and auditing of ECM, with Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) 2019/774 (2), (EU) 2019/776 (3), (EU) 2019/773 (4) and (EU) 2019/779 (5) respectively. The specifications concerning NVR have been updated in light of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1614 (6).

(8)

The proposed amendments are in line with the law and the strategic objectives of the Union, as they contribute to the alignment of OTIF legislation with the equivalent provisions of Union law, and those proposed amendments should therefore be supported by the Union,

(1)

On 4 February 2008, the Council adopted Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP (1).

(2)

On 8 June 2018, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2018/856 (2), amending Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP and extending EULEX KOSOVO until 14 June 2020.

(3)

On 16 April 2020, the Political and Security Committee (PSC) agreed that, under the circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EULEX KOSOVO should be extended by one year with the same mandate, which may be reviewed when circumstances allow.

(4)

EULEX KOSOVO should be granted a financial reference amount for the period of its extension.

(5)

On 14 May 2020, the PSC furthermore agreed that Mr Lars-Gunnar WIGEMARK, who was appointed as Head of Mission on 28 November 2019 by PSC Decision (CFSP) 2019/1991 (3), should continue to perform this function for a further period of one year.

(6)

Nothing in this Decision should be understood as prejudicing the independence and the autonomy of the judges and prosecutors active in judicial proceedings in the context of EULEX KOSOVO.

(7)

Due to the special character of the activities of EULEX KOSOVO in support of the relocated judicial proceedings within a Member State, it is appropriate to identify in this Decision the amount envisaged to cover the support to those relocated judicial proceedings and to provide for the implementation of that part of the budget through a grant.

(8)

Joint Action 2008/124/CFSP should be amended accordingly.

(9)

EULEX KOSOVO will be conducted in the context of a situation which may deteriorate and could impede the achievement of the objectives of the Union’s external action as set out in Article 21 of the Treaty,

(1)

in Article 8, the following paragraph is added:

(2)

in Article 16(1), the seventeenth subparagraph is replaced by the following:

‘The financial reference amount intended to cover the expenditure of EULEX KOSOVO from 15 June 2020 until 14 June 2021 shall be EUR 83 745 000.

Out of the amount referred to in the seventeenth subparagraph, the amount intended to cover the expenditure of EULEX KOSOVO for the implementation of its mandate in Kosovo shall be EUR 38 700 000 and the amount intended to cover the support to the relocated judicial proceedings within a Member State shall be EUR 45 045 000.

The Commission shall sign a grant agreement with a registrar acting on behalf of a registry in charge of the administration of the relocated judicial proceedings for the amount of EUR 45 045 000. The rules on grants provided for in Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*) shall apply to this grant agreement.

The financial reference amount for the subsequent period for EULEX KOSOVO shall be decided by the Council.

(*)  Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 (OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1).’;"

(3)

in Article 20, second subparagraph, the first sentence is replaced by the following:

‘It shall expire on 14 June 2021.’.

(1)

The Treaty establishing the Transport Community (‘the TCT’) was signed by the Union in accordance with Council Decision (EU) 2017/1937 (1). It was approved on behalf of the Union on 4 March 2019 by Council Decision (EU) 2019/392 (2) and entered into force on 1 May 2019.

(2)

The Regional Steering Committee was established by the TCT for the administration and the proper implementation of the TCT. The TCT requires the Regional Steering Committee to adopt rules on the working conditions of the staff of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, as well as a decision specifying the procedure for the implementation of the budget and for presenting and auditing accounts.

(3)

The Regional Steering Committee is shortly to adopt decisions on the travel rules for staff of the Transport Community, on the rules on the reimbursement of expenses incurred by persons from outside the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community who are invited to attend meetings in an expert capacity and on the financial rules and auditing procedures applicable to the Transport Community.

(4)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the Regional Steering Committee, as such decisions are necessary for the good functioning of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community and will be binding upon the Union,

(1)

On 22 January 2018, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2018/101 (1), which provides for a 30-month implementation period from the date of conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in that Decision, for the activities referred to in Article 1 thereof.

(2)

On 30 April 2020, the Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle, in its capacity as the Implementing Agency, requested the authorisation of the Union to extend the implementation of Decision (CFSP) 2018/101 until 30 November 2020 due to challenges arising from the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

(3)

The continuation of the activities referred to in Article 1 of Decision (CFSP) 2018/101 can be performed without any financial resource implication until 30 November 2020.

(4)

Decision (CFSP) 2018/101 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

Article 5 is replaced by the following:

(2)

In the Annex, section 10 is replaced by the following:

(1)

On 11 May 2017 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/809 (1), which provides for a 36-month implementation period from the date of conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in Article 3(3) of that Decision, for the projects referred to in Article 1 thereof.

(2)

That financing agreement was concluded with the United Nations (UN) Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) on 10 August 2017 and expires on 10 August 2020.

(3)

On 19 March 2020, UNODA, which is responsible for the technical implementation of the projects referred to in Article 1 of Decision (CFSP) 2017/809, requested a 12-month extension of the implementation period of that Decision. The requested extension would allow UNODA to continue delivering assistance to the UN Member States implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) (‘UNSCR 1540’), to contribute further to an ongoing comprehensive review, to continue delivering assistance to the Committee of the UN Security Council established by UNSCR 1540 until the end of its current mandate on 25 April 2021, and to mitigate the losses resulting from projects that remain undelivered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(4)

The continuation of the projects referred to in Article 1 of Decision (CFSP) 2017/809 does not have any implication as regards financial resources until 10 August 2021.

(5)

Decision (CFSP) 2017/809 should therefore be amended accordingly,

(1)

On 11 July 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/1252 (1).

(2)

Article 5(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2017/1252 provides for a 36-month implementation period from the date of the conclusion of the financing agreement referred to in Article 3(3) of that Decision, for the activities referred to in Article 1 thereof.

(3)

The financing agreement with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was concluded on 30 August 2017, and therefore expires on 30 August 2020.

(4)

On 23 April 2020, the OSCE requested a six-month extension of the implementation period of Decision (CFSP) 2017/1252, due to the temporary suspension of a number of activities in support of the strengthening of chemical safety and security in Ukraine because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(5)

The continuation of the activities referred to in Article 1 of Decision (CFSP) 2017/1252 does not have any implication as regards financial resources until 28 February 2021.

(6)

Decision (CFSP) 2017/1252 should be amended accordingly,