Date: 2018-12-14Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Decision No 1/2018 of the EU-CTC Joint Committee of 4 December 2018 as regards an invitation to the United Kingdom to accede to the Convention on a common transit procedure [2018/1987]
**Summary:**
On December 4, 2018, the EUCTC Joint Committee adopted Decision No 1/2018, formally inviting the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to accede to the Convention on a common transit procedure of May 20, 1987. This invitation is extended under point (e) of Article 153 of the Convention, which empowers the Joint Committee to invite third countries to accede in accordance with Article 15a. The decision responds to the United Kingdom's expressed desire to become a separate Contracting Party to the Convention following its departure from the European Union. The objective is to facilitate the movement of goods between the UK and the EU, Iceland, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey through a common transit procedure. The accession will take effect either when the Convention ceases to apply to the UK as an EU Member State or, if transitional arrangements are agreed upon, when those arrangements cease to be in effect. The decision entered into force on the date of its adoption. The Chairman of the Joint Committee at the time of the decision was Philip Kermode.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: A sovereign country in Europe, formerly a member state of the European Union.
Convention on a common transit procedure: An international agreement that establishes a common transit procedure for goods.
EUCTC Joint Committee: The Joint Committee established by the Convention on a common transit procedure.
Republic of Iceland: A Nordic island country in the North Atlantic.
Kingdom of Norway: A Nordic country in Northern Europe.
Republic of Serbia: A country at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe.
Swiss Confederation: A landlocked country located at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe.
14.12.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 317/47
ACTS ADOPTED BY BODIES CREATED BY
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
DECISION No 1/2018 OF THE EU-CTC JOINT COMMITTEE
of 4 December 2018
as regards an invitation to the United Kingdom to accede to the Convention on a common transit
procedure [2018/1987]
THE JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Convention of 20 May 1987 on a common transit procedure (1), and in particular point (e) of
Article 15(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Pursuant to point (e) of Article 15(3) of the Convention on a common transit procedure (‘the Convention’) the
Joint Committee established by that Convention is to adopt, by decision, invitations to third countries to accede
to that Convention in accordance with Article 15a.
(2) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (‘the United Kingdom’) has expressed its wish to
accede to the Convention as a separate Contracting Party from the date the Convention no longer applies to and
in the United Kingdom.
(3) The movement of goods with the United Kingdom would be facilitated by a common transit procedure for goods
transported between the United Kingdom and the European Union, the Republic of Iceland, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of Serbia, the Swiss Confederation and the
Republic of Turkey.
(4) With a view to achieving such facilitation, it is appropriate to invite the United Kingdom to accede to the
Convention.
(5) The accession of the United Kingdom to the Convention should be effective only as from the date the
Convention no longer applies to the the United Kingdom as a Member State of the European Union or, should
the European Union and the United Kingdom agree on transitional arrangements whereby the Convention would
apply to and in the United Kingdom, as from the date these transitional arrangements cease to apply,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The United Kingdom shall be invited to accede to the Convention in accordance with Article 15a of the Convention as
from the date when it is no longer a Member State of the European Union or as from the date any transitional
arrangements between the European Union and the United Kingdom, whereby the Convention would apply to and in
the United Kingdom, cease to apply.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 4 December 2018.
For the Joint Committee
The Chairman
Philip KERMODE
(1) OJ L 226, 13.8.1987, p. 2.