Article 51 of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Montenegro, of the other part1 (the ‘Agreement’), provides that the Stabilisation and Association Council is to put in place, by decision, the provisions to implement the principles set out in that Article.

In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and without prejudice to Article 4 of that Protocol, those Member States are not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and are not bound by it or subject to its application.

In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of Protocol No 22 on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Stabilisation and Association Council, with regard to the adoption of provisions on the coordination of social security systems.

The position of the Union within the Stabilisation and Association Council should therefore be based on the attached draft decision,