THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 100(2), in conjunction with Article 218(5) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) By its Decision of 5 June 2003, the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations with third countries on the replacement of certain provisions in existing bilateral agreements with an agreement at Union level.
(2) On behalf of the Union, the Commission has negotiated an Agreement with the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on certain aspects of air services (‘the Agreement’) in accordance with the mechanisms and directives in the Annex to the Council Decision of 5 June 2003.
(3) The Agreement should be signed and applied on a provisional basis, pending the completion of the procedures for its conclusion,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: