The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Iraq) Order 2014

Statutory Instruments

2014 No. 1883

European Union

The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Iraq) Order 2014

Made

16th July 2014

Coming into force in accordance with Article 2

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 16th day of July 2014

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

A draft of this Order has been laid before Parliament in accordance with section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972(1) and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Accordingly, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on Her by section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order as follows:

1.  This Order may be cited as the European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Iraq) Order 2014.

2.  This Order comes into force on the date on which the treaty specified in article 3 enters into force for the United Kingdom(2).

3.  The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Iraq, of the other part, signed at Brussels on 11 May 2012(3), is to be regarded as an EU Treaty as defined in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(4).

Richard Tilbrook

Clerk of the Privy Council

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order declares the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Iraq, of the other part (the Agreement), to be an EU Treaty as defined in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

The Agreement was signed by the Republic of Iraq, the United Kingdom, the other EU Member States and by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on behalf of the European Union, in Brussels on 11 May 2012.

The Agreement aims to develop the EU and Member States’ relations with the Republic of Iraq. It will allow for engagement in a broad range of areas including political dialogue, trade and investment, development assistance, and cooperation in the fields of energy, transport, the environment, human rights, education, science and technology, agriculture, tourism, justice, migration and asylum. The Agreement also includes clauses on facilitating and supporting Iraq’s stability and regional integration, combating terrorism, countering proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, small arms and light weapons, and the International Criminal Court.

The principal effect of declaring the Agreement to be an EU Treaty as so defined is that the provisions of section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972 (which provide for implementation of treaties including those specified in orders made under section 1(3) of that Act) apply to it.

A full Impact Assessment has not been carried out for this Order as an initial assessment determined that the impact of the Agreement on business, charities, voluntary bodies and the public sector in the United Kingdom is expected to be negligible.

(1)

1972 c.68; section 1(3) was amended by the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c.7), section 3(3) and Schedule, Part 1.

(2)

It will be possible to find out the date on which the treaty enters into force for the United Kingdom by referring to the relevant page on UK Treaties Online which can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/uk-treaties.

(3)

Cm 8753.

(4)

Section 1(2) was amended by the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008, section 3(1) and (3) and Schedule, Part 1.