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) (Association Agreement) (Moldova) Order 2015.

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 Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part, signed at Brussels on 27th June 2014(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 Association Agreement between the European Union (the “EU”) and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part (the “Agreement”), to be an EU Treaty as defined in section 1(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

The principal effect of declaring the Agreement to be an EU Treaty is that the provisions of section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972 which provide for implementation of EU Treaties will apply to the Agreement.

The Agreement was signed by the Republic of Moldova, the United Kingdom, the other Member States, the EU and the European Atomic Energy Community, in Brussels on 27th June 2014.

The Agreement to which the Order relates is intended to deepen political and economic relations between the Republic of Moldova and the other parties. It provides for co-operation in areas such as justice and law enforcement, financial services, consumer protection, energy, transport, environmental protection, industrial development and education.

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that the Agreement will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH and is published with the Explanatory Memorandum alongside the instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.

(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 8942,

(4)
Section 1(2) was amended by the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008, section 3(1) and section 3(3) and Schedule, Part 1.