2012/431/EU: Council Decision of 26 June 2012 on the position to be taken, on behalf of the European Union, in the EU-EFTA Joint Committee concerning the adoption of a Decision amending the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first subparagraph of Article 207(4), in conjunction with Article 218(9), thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

1. Article 15a of the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure⁽¹⁾ (the ‘Convention’) allows for a third country to become a Contracting Party to the Convention following a decision of the Joint Committee set up by the Convention to invite the country.

2. Article 15 of the Convention empowers the Joint Committee to recommend and adopt, by decisions, amendments to the Convention and the Appendices thereto.

3. Croatia formally expressed its wish to join the common transit system and has been invited following a decision by the Joint Committee on 19 January 2012.

4. Having satisfied the essential legal, structural and information technology requirements, which are preconditions for accession and following the formal procedure for accession, Croatia will accede the Convention.

5. The enlargement of the common transit system will require certain amendments to the Convention. These concern new linguistic references in Croatian and the appropriate adaptations to guarantee documents.

6. The proposed amendment was presented to and discussed within the EU-EFTA Working Group and the text received preliminary approval.

7. Therefore, the position of the European Union concerning the proposed amendment should be determined,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: