| COUNCIL OF THE | |
| EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES | Brussels, 26.4.1989 |
The President
The Director-General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Via delle Terme di Caracalla
00199 ROME
ITALY
Sir,
1. The Treaty establishing the European Economic Community transferred to the Community in certain matters authority previously exercised by the Member States, and in these matters the Community acts in its own name.
2. Noting that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was active in some of these areas, and in view of the fact that the Constitution of the FAO did not provide for an international organization to participate in its work on the same basis as the Member Nations, it was agreed in 1962 by an Exchange of Letters between the President of the Commission of the European Communities and the Director-General of FAO that, in accordance with the Constitution, the Commission could be invited to participate in some of the FAO's work as an observer.
3. In the light of developments and experience gained since 1962, it has become clear that in the present situation neither the Community nor its Member States are able to participate fully in the. work of the FAO in those spheres in which the Member States of the Community have transferred authority to the Community. Furthermore, the Community cannot play a fully effective role in the activities of your Organization in the spheres where it exercises authority on its own account, alongside its Member States. For these reasons the Council of the European Communities is currently considering the possibility of the Community obtaining a status of Member commensurate with its powers. Such an eventuality raises questions which need to be answered before any formal request is made to the FAO.
4. Consequently, as representative of the Member State currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities, I have the honour, on behalf of the Member States of the Community, which are also Members of FAO, to ask you, pursuant to
Article XXV.7(b) of the General Rules of the Organization, to refer the matter to the relevant FAO bodies so that you can explore with the Commission the possibility of devising such a status for the Community. On the basis of the outcome of these exploratory talks, the Council will decide what steps to take.
5. Furthermore, I should like to remind you that under the Convention of Lomé, which has already been renewed since it was signed in 1975, the European Communities have cooperation links with the developing countries, which are becoming increasingly important in North-South relations. Sixty-six African, Caribbean and Pacific States are directly concerned by the vast scope of this Convention, in which agricultural development is a priority.
Accept, sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
P. FERNANDEZ ORDONEZ
