Opinion 1/08, Community Competence to Conclude with Certain Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements Modifying the Schedules of Specific Commitments of the Community and its Members under the General Agreement on Trade in Services

Opinion 1/08 of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) resolves a dispute between the European Commission, supported by the European Parliament, on the one hand, and the Council of the European Union (Council) and fifteen member states, on the other, as to the competence of the European Community (EC) to conclude -- with certain members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) -- particular agreements (Agreements) modifying the schedules of specific commitments (Schedules) of the EC and its member states under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). More importantly, by interpreting for the first time some of the provisions defining the common commercial policy (CCP) as they were recast by the Nice Treaty in 2001, this opinion clarifies the scope of the external powers of the EC vis-à-vis its member states. The Court held in essence that the Agreements -- although concerning neither exclusively nor predominantly sensitive sectors, such as culture, education, as well as social and human health services -- fall within the shared competence of the EC and its member states. Interestingly enough, the opinion was rendered on November 3'8 2009, on the eve of the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, which, inter alia, modified once more the CCP provisions. Yet, this opinion remains relevant to the extent that it helped to resolve another dispute pending before the ECJ on whether the approval of Vietnam's membership in the WTO fell solely under the competence of the EC or whether it also required the participation of the member states.