o preporuci za odluku Vijeća o pristupanju Hrvatske Konvenciji od 29. svibnja 2000. utvrđenoj od strane Vijeća u skladu s člankom 34. Ugovora o Europskoj uniji o uzajamnoj pravnoj pomoći u kaznenim stvarima među državama članicama Europske unije i njezinom Protokolu od 16. listopada 2001.

(COM(2014)0685 – C8‑0275/2014 – 2014/0321(NLE))

(Savjetovanje)

Europski parlament,

–       uzimajući u obzir preporuku Komisije Vijeću (COM(2014)0685),

–       uzimajući u obzir članak 3. stavak 4. i članak 3. stavak 5. Akta o pristupanju Hrvatske, na temelju kojeg se Vijeće savjetovalo s Parlamentom (C8-0275/2014),

–       uzimajući u obzir članak 59. Poslovnika,

–       uzimajući u obzir izvješće Odbora za građanske slobode, pravosuđe i unutarnje poslove (A8-0156/2015),

1.      prihvaća prijedlog Komisije;

2.      poziva Vijeće da ga obavijesti ako namjerava odstupiti od teksta koji je Parlament prihvatio;

3.      traži od Vijeća da se s njim ponovno savjetuje ako namjerava bitno izmijeniti tekst koji je Parlament prihvatio;

4.      nalaže svojem predsjedniku da stajalište Parlamenta proslijedi Vijeću i Komisiji.

The Act of 2012 concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union(1) simplified its accession to the conventions and protocols concluded by the Member States on the basis of Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union (ex Article K.3 TEU). It is no longer necessary to negotiate and conclude specific accession protocols (which would have to be ratified by the 28 Member States): Article 3(4) and (5) of the Act of Accession simply state that Croatia accedes to the conventions and protocols by virtue of the Act.

Article 3(4) and (5) of the Act of Accession accordingly state that the Council will take a decision determining the date on which these conventions will enter into force in relation to Croatia and making all the adjustments required by reason of the accession of this new Member State to these conventions (including at the very least the adoption of the conventions in the Croatian language so that this version can be ‘equally authentic’). The Council will act on a recommendation by the Commission, after consulting the European Parliament.

Annex I to the Act of Accession lists the six conventions and protocols concerned in the area of justice and home affairs. The list includes the Convention of 29 May 2000, established by the Council in accordance with Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union, on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union, and its Protocol of 16 October 2001, established by the Council in accordance with Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union, to the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union.

This Commission Recommendation for a Council Decision is intended to make the adjustments required by reason of the accession of Croatia to the aforementioned Convention and Protocol, in accordance with Article 3(4) and (5) of the Act of Accession.

In its referral, the General Secretariat of the Council has advised the General Secretariat of the Parliament of a technical error affecting the provision of the Commission recommendation relating to the date of entry into force of the Convention between Croatia and the member States. Indeed, according to Article 1 of the Recommendation, the Convention shall enter into force – between Croatia and the Member States for which the Convention is in force at that date – on the first day of the first month following the date of adoption of the decision. According to Article 3, the decision "shall take effect" on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal.

These provisions might lead to a situation where the timeline becomes blurred. The requirement of publication is an essential procedural requirement. Without publication, an act is considered by the Court of Justice of the European Union as non-existent. Therefore, first, the decision should be adopted and published; it should then enter into force on the date specified in it. Finally, the Convention should enter into force, as a result of the decision having been duly published and in force.

The General Secretariat of the Council has advised the General Secretariat of the Parliament that the Council will address this issue in accordance with its internal rules of procedure. Therefore, your Rapporteur recommends approving this Commission recommendation.

(1)              OJ L 112, 24.4.2012, p. 10.