2006/619/EC: Council Decision of 24 July 2006 on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women And Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime concerning the provisions of the Protocol, in so far as the provisions of the Protocol fall within the scope of Part III, Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Community

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 62 point 2, Article 63 point 3 and Article 66 in conjunction with the first subparagraph of Article 300(2), and first subparagraph of Article 300(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament⁽¹⁾,

Whereas:

1. The elements of the Protocol which are subject to Community competence were negotiated by the Commission, with the approval of the Council, on behalf of the Community.

2. The Council instructed the Commission to negotiate the accession of the Community to the international agreement in question.

3. Negotiations were successfully concluded and the resulting instrument was signed by the Community on 12 December 2000 in accordance with Council Decision 2001/87/EC of 8 December 2000⁽²⁾.

4. Some Member States are parties to the Protocol while the ratification process is under way in other Member States.

5. This Decision is without prejudice to the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland under the Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis into the framework of the European Union and under the Protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, hence the UK and Ireland are not bound by this Decision to the extent that it concerns the exercise of an external power by the Community in fields where its internal legislation does not bind the UK and/or Ireland.

6. This Decision is without prejudice to the position of Denmark under the Protocol on the position of Denmark annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, hence Denmark does not take part in its adoption and is not bound by it.

7. The conclusion of the Convention was approved on behalf of the Community by Council Decision 2004/579/EC of 29 April 2004⁽³⁾ which is a condition for the Community to become a Party to the Protocol, pursuant to Article 37(2) of the Convention.

8. The other conditions permitting the Community to deposit the instrument of approval provided for in Article 36(3) of the Convention and Article 16(3) of the Protocol have been fulfilled.

9. In so far as the provisions of the Protocol fall within the scope of Part III, Title IV of the Treaty, the conclusion of the Protocol should be approved on behalf of the Community.

10. In so far as the provisions of the Protocol fall within the scope of Articles 179 and 181a of the Treaty, the conclusion of the Protocol on behalf of the Community should be approved by means of a separate decision of the Council⁽⁴⁾.

11. The Community should, when depositing the instrument of approval, also deposit a declaration on the extent of the Community's competence with respect to matters governed by the Protocol under Article 16(3) of the Trafficking Protocol,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: