http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/eudn/2016/968

DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No …/2016 of … amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

Council Decision (EU) 2016/968

of 6 June 2016

on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms (ISA² programme)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 172 in conjunction with Article 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)

The Agreement on the European Economic Area2 (‘the EEA Agreement’) entered into force on 1 January 1994.

(2)

Pursuant to Article 98 of the EEA Agreement, the EEA Joint Committee may decide to amend, inter alia, Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement (‘Protocol 31’).

(3)

Protocol 31 contains provisions and arrangements concerning cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms.

(4)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Decision (EU) 2015/2240 of the European Parliament and of the Council3.

(5)

Protocol 31 should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2016.

(6)

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

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: