Council Decision (EU) 2025/1948 of 18 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods and within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on a Common transit procedure as regards the adoption of decisions inviting the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to those Conventions and as regards the adoption of decisions amending the Convention on a common transit procedure following the Republic of Moldova’s and Montenegro’s accession to that Convention

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/1948 24.9.2025 COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/1948 of 18 September 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods and within the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on a Common transit procedure as regards the adoption of decisions inviting the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to those Conventions and as regards the adoption of decisions amending the Convention on a common transit procedure following the Republic of Moldova’s and Montenegro’s accession to that Convention THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 207(4), first subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Convention of 20 May 1987 on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods(1) and the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure(2) (together, the ‘Conventions’), concluded between the European Economic Community, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss Confederation, entered into force on 1 January 1988. (2) The Republic of Moldova and Montenegro have expressed their wish to accede to the Conventions once they have complied with the requirements for their accession. (3) Pursuant to Article 11(3) of the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods, the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by that Convention may, by decision, adopt invitations to third countries to accede to that Convention. (4) Pursuant to Article 15(3), point (e), of the Convention on a common transit procedure, the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by that Convention may, by decision, adopt invitations to third countries to accede to that Convention. (5) Pursuant to Article 15(3), point (a), of the Convention on a common transit procedure, the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by that Convention may, by decision, adopt amendments to the Appendices to that Convention. Upon the accessions of the Republic of Moldova and of Montenegro to the Convention on a common transit procedure, the respective adaptation of the guarantee documents and, as regards Montenegro, the insertion of certain technical terms in Montenegrin, will be required. (6) In accordance with Article 11a(2) and (3) of the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods and Article 15a(2) and (3) of the Convention on a common transit procedure, a third country invited to become a contracting party is to do so by lodging an instrument of accession and the accession is to become effective on the first day of the second month following the lodging of the instrument of accession. (7) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the EU-CTC Joint Committees established by the Conventions (the ‘Joint Committee’), as the decisions to invite the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to the Conventions and to amend the Convention on a common transit procedure have legal effects. (1) OJ L 134, 22.5.1987, p. 2, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/convention/1987/267/oj. (2) OJ L 226, 13.8.1987, p. 2, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/convention/1987/415/oj. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1948/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 24.9.2025 (8) The Conventions will ensure efficient border crossing procedures between the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro and the parties to the Conventions. (9) The position of the Union within the Joint Committee as regards the adoption of decisions to invite the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to the Conventions and to amend the Convention on a common transit procedure should be based on the attached draft decisions. (10) As the Joint Committee’s decisions will amend the Convention on a common transit procedure, it is appropriate to publish them in the Official Journal of the European Union after their adoption. (11) In the Joint Committee, the Union is to be represented by the Commission in accordance with Article 17(1) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). (12) In order to facilitate the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro’s timely accession to the Conventions, it is necessary to adopt this Decision without delay, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The position to be taken on behalf of the Union in the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods as regards the adoption of decisions inviting the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to that Convention shall be based on the draft decisions of that Joint Committee attached to this Decision. Article 2 The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the EU-CTC Joint Committee established by the Convention on a common transit procedure as regards the adoption of decisions inviting the Republic of Moldova and Montenegro to accede to that Convention and as regards the resulting technical amendments shall be based on the draft decisions of that Joint Committee attached to this Decision. Article 3 After their adoption, the decisions of the Joint Committees referred to in Articles 1 and 2 shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 18 September 2025. For the Council The President L. AAGAARD 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1948/oj