The Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republics of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, of the other part (‘the Agreement’), was signed on 15 December 2003, subject to its conclusion at a later date.
(2)
In accordance with Article 54(1) of the Agreement, the Agreement is to enter into force on the first day of the month following that in which the Contracting Parties notify each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for that purpose.
(3)
All Contracting Parties to the Agreement, including all the Member States of the Union at the time of the signing of the Agreement, have by now deposited their instruments of ratification, with the exception of the Union.
(4)
Article 49(3) of the Agreement sets out the obligations for the Contracting Parties on readmission of illegal migrants. As a consequence, that provision falls within the scope of Title V of Part Three of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and in particular Article 79(3) thereof, as well as Protocol (No 21) on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and Protocol (No 22) on the position of Denmark, both annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the TFEU, apply.
(5)
As a consequence of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and succeeded the European Community.
(6)
The Agreement should be approved with the exception of Article 49(3) thereof. A separate decision (1) on the conclusion of Article 49(3) of the Agreement, will be adopted in parallel to this Decision,
