1Council Decision (EU) 2024/2728 of 14 October 2024 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador

Council Decision (EU) 2024/2728 of 14 October 2024 on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador 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 point (a) of the second subparagraph of Article 218(6), thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the consent of the European Parliament, Consent of the European Parliament of 14 December 2016. Whereas: (1) On 19 January 2009 the Council authorised the Commission to negotiate a multiparty trade agreement on behalf of the Union and its Member States with the Member Countries of the Andean Community which shared the aim of reaching an ambitious, comprehensive and balanced trade agreement. (2) On 26 June 2012 the Union signed the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part OJ L 354, 21.12.2012, p. 3. (the Agreement). The Agreement has been provisionally applied since 1 March 2013 for Peru and since 1 August 2013 for Colombia. (3) Article 329 of the Agreement lays down the provisions regarding the accession of other Member Countries of the Andean Community to the Agreement. (4) On 17 July 2014 the Union and Ecuador concluded their negotiations on the Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador (the Protocol). (5) The text of the Protocol was approved by the Trade Committee established pursuant to the Agreement at its meeting on 8 February 2016, as required by Article 329(4) of the Agreement. (6) Pursuant to Council Decision (EU) 2016/2369 Council Decision (EU) 2016/2369 of 11 November 2016 on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador (OJ L 356, 24.12.2016, p. 1). , the Protocol was signed on 11 November 2016, subject to its conclusion at a later date. The Protocol has been provisionally applied since 1 January 2017, pending its entry into force. (7) The Protocol should be approved, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The Protocol of Accession to the Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Colombia and Peru, of the other part, to take account of the accession of Ecuador is hereby approved on behalf of the Union. The Protocol has been published in OJ L 356, 24.12.2016, p. 3, together with the decision on signing.

Article 2

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the Union, give the notification provided for in Article 27(2) of the Protocol. The date of entry into force of the Protocol will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union by the General Secretariat of the Council.

Article 3

The Protocol shall not be construed as conferring rights or imposing obligations which can be directly invoked before Union or Member State courts or tribunals.

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Luxembourg, 14 October 2024. For the Council The President J. Borrell Fontelles