Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 20th July, 2012.

I, EAMON GILMORE, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 2 (3) of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 21 of 2012), hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 (Commencement) Order 2012.

2. The 16 day of July 2012 is appointed as the day on which the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 21 of 2012) other than in so far as it relates to paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) of the definition inserted by section 1 of that Act in the European Communities Act 1972 shall come into operation.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

16 July 2012.

EAMON GILMORE,

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

This Order appoints the 16 day of July 2012 as the day on which the European Communities (Amendment) Act 2012 comes into operation insofar as it relates to the Protocol, done at Brussels on the 23rd day of June 2010, amending the Protocol on transitional provisions annexed to the Treaty on European Union, to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community.