Council Decision (EU) 2025/2163 of 17 October 2025 concerning the withdrawal of the European Union from the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG)

Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2025/2163 22.10.2025 COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/2163 of 17 October 2025 concerning the withdrawal of the European Union from the International Rubber Study Group

(IRSG) 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(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament(1),

Whereas:

(1) The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) was established in 1944 following the termination of the International Rubber Regulation Scheme, which had operated from 1934.

(2) The IRSG is an intergovernmental organisation the objectives of which are to provide a forum for the discussion of problems affecting the production and consumption of, and trade in, natural and synthetic rubbers, and to collect and disseminate comprehensive statistical information on the world rubber industry.

(3) The activities of the IRSG are mainly financed by members’ contributions. Of the approved budget, 60 % is to be met by basic contributions as paid in equal amounts by all members. The balance of 40 % is to be paid by members in proportion to the average of their production or consumption (whichever is larger) of rubber in the three calendar years prior to the financial year in question.

(4) By means of Council Decision 2002/651/EC(2), the European Community became a member of the IRSG. Since 1 July 2011, only the Union is a member of the IRSG, all Member States of the Union that were previously members thereof having served formal notice of withdrawal. This is reflected in the amended Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the IRSG, which the Union signed and concluded by means of Council Decisions 2011/664/EU(3)and 2012/283/EU(4), respectively.

(5) In accordance with Article XVI, paragraph 3, of the IRSG Constitution(5), a notice of withdrawal by a member is to be delivered in writing to the Secretary-General by 1 November to be effective on 30 June of the subsequent calendar year and members giving notice after 1 November are liable for the membership contribution for the next ensuing financial year.

(6) In recent years, the IRSG has been negatively affected by the withdrawal of important member countries. It has therefore become an international organisation of limited and declining relevance. The current membership of the IRSG is representative of only about 10 % of the world production and 25 % of the world consumption of natural rubber.

(7) The downward trend in the representativity of the IRSG is unlikely to change in the future.

(1) Consent of 8 October 2025 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(2) Council Decision 2002/651/EC of 22 July 2002 concerning the participation of the Community in the International Rubber Study Group (OJ L 215, 10.8.2002, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2002/651/oj).

(3) Council Decision 2011/664/EU of 12 September 2011 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, and provisional application of the amended Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the International Rubber Study Group (OJ L 264, 8.10.2011, p. 12,

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/664/oj).

(4) Council Decision 2012/283/EU of 24 April 2012 on the conclusion by the European Union of the amended Constitution and Rules of Procedure of the International Rubber Study Group (OJ L 141, 31.5.2012, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2012/283/oj).

(5) OJ L 264, 8.10.2011, p. 14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/statute/2011/1008/oj.

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2163/oj 1/2EN OJ L, 22.10.2025

(8) As a consequence of the reduced number of members, the depletion of the IRSG’s cash reserves and the evolution of the EUR/SGD exchange rate, the Union's contribution to the IRSG’s budget is significant and rising.

(9) The continued membership of the Union in an intergovernmental organisation of limited and declining relevance would be inefficient. The Union should therefore withdraw from the IRSG,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 The Union shall withdraw from the International Rubber Study Group.

Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 17 October 2025.

For the Council The President M. HEUNICKE 2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2163/oj