Date: 2015-07-24Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Council Decision (EU) 2015/1211 of 20 July 2015 establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the General Council of the World Trade Organization on the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization
**Summary:**
Council Decision (EU) 2015/1211, adopted on 20 July 2015, establishes the European Union's position within the General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO. The EU supports the approval of Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO. This decision follows Kazakhstan's application for accession on 29 January 1996, and the subsequent establishment of a Working Party on 6 February 1996, to negotiate acceptable terms of accession. The European Commission, representing the EU, negotiated market-opening commitments from Kazakhstan concerning tariffs, export duties, and trade in services, which are now included in the Protocol of Accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO. The EU anticipates that WTO membership will positively contribute to Kazakhstan's economic reform and sustainable development. The decision enters into force on the date of its adoption.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
World Trade Organization: An intergovernmental organization that regulates international trade.
Republic of Kazakhstan: A country in Central Asia that applied for accession to the World Trade Organization.
General Council of the World Trade Organization: The WTO's highest decision-making body in Geneva, Switzerland, carrying out the functions of the Ministerial Conference in between meetings.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: One of the primary treaties of the European Union, outlining its objectives, institutions, and decision-making processes.
European Commission: An institution of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Marrakesh Agreement: The agreement establishing the World Trade Organization.
Brussels: The de facto capital city of the European Union, located in Belgium, where the Council Decision was adopted.
L 196/16 EN Official Journal of the European Union 24.7.2015
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2015/1211
of 20 July 2015
establishing the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the General Council
of the World Trade Organization on the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World
Trade Organization
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 91, Article 100(2) and
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) On 29 January 1996, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan applied for accession to the Marrakesh
Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (‘the Marrakesh Agreement’), pursuant to Article XII of
that Agreement.
(2) On 6 February 1996, a Working Party on the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in order
to reach agreement on the terms of accession acceptable to the Republic of Kazakhstan and all Members of the
World Trade Organization (WTO).
(3) The Commission, on behalf of the Union, has negotiated a comprehensive series of market opening
commitments on the part of the Republic of Kazakhstan which satisfy the Union's requests on tariffs, on export
duties and on trade in services.
(4) Those commitments are now embodied in the Protocol of Accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO
(‘the Protocol of Accession’).
(5) Accession to the WTO is expected to make a positive and lasting contribution to the process of economic reform
and sustainable development in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
(6) The Protocol of Accession should therefore be approved.
(7) Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement provides that the terms of accession are to be agreed between the
acceding State and the WTO, and that the Ministerial Conference of the WTO approves the terms of accession
on the WTO side. Article IV.2 of that Agreement provides that in the intervals between meetings of the
Ministerial Conference, its functions are to be conducted by the General Council of the WTO.
(8) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on behalf of the Union within the General Council of the
WTO on the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the WTO,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the General Council of the World Trade Organization
on the accession of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the World Trade Organization is to approve the accession.24.7.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 196/17
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 20 July 2015.
For the Council
The President
F. MOGHERINI