2004/896/EC: Council Decision of 22 November 2004 on the signing and provisional application of a Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, the Protocol to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, of the other part, to take account of the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union, subject to its conclusion. The text of the Protocol is attached to this Decision.

Pending the Protocol's entry into force, the Community-related parts thereof shall be applied on a provisional basis from 1 May 2004.