Council Decision

of 13 May 2014

on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

(2014/307/EU)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 166(4), Article 167(5), first indent, Articles 173(3) and 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 of 28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing the Agreement on the European Economic Area1, and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

Protocol 31 to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (‘the EEA Agreement’) contains specific provisions and arrangements concerning cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms.

(2)
It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council2.
(3)

Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly, in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2014.

(4)

The position of the Union within the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, shall be based on the draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 13 May 2014.

For the Council

The President

E. Venizelos

DRAFT

DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No …/2014

of

amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (‘the EEA Agreement’), and in particular Articles 86 and 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Creative Europe Programme (2014 to 2020) and repealing Decisions No 1718/2006/EC, No 1855/2006/EC and No 1041/2009/EC3.
(2)

Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2014,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The following is added in paragraph 4 of Article 9 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement:

  1. ‘—

    32013 R 1295: Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Creative Europe Programme (2014 to 2020) and repealing Decisions No 1718/2006/EC, No 1855/2006/EC and No 1041/2009/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 221).

    Liechtenstein shall be exempted from the participation in, and the financial contribution to, this programme.’

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement4.

It shall apply from 1 January 2014.

Article 3

This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels,

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

The Secretaries

to the EEA Joint Committee