Document ID: 32021D1737
Language: ENG

<table><col/><col/><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>1.10.2021&#160;&#160;&#160;</p></td><td><p>EN</p></td><td><p>Official Journal of the European Union</p></td><td><p>L 348/13</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1737
of 23 September 2021
on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning the amendment of Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, annexed to the EEA Agreement (Digital Europe Programme)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 172 and Article 173(3), 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 Area ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(1)</p></td><td><p>The Agreement on the European Economic Area&#160;<a>(<span>2</span>)</a> (&#8216;the EEA Agreement&#8217;) entered into force on 1&#160;January 1994.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(2)</p></td><td><p>Pursuant to Article&#160;98 of the EEA Agreement, the EEA Joint Committee may decide to amend, inter alia, Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms (&#8216;Protocol 31&#8217;), annexed to the EEA Agreement.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(3)</p></td><td><p>Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council&#160;<a>(<span>3</span>)</a> is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(4)</p></td><td><p>Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table><col/><col/><tbody><tr><td><p>(5)</p></td><td><p>The position of the Union in the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee,</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The position to be adopted, on behalf of the Union, within the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment of Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, annexed to the EEA Agreement, shall be based on the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee ( 4 ) .
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 23 September 2021.
For the Council
The President
G. DOVŽAN
<note>
( 1 ) OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6 .
( 2 ) OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3 .
( 3 ) Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 ( OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, p. 1 ).
( 4 ) See document ST 11242/21 at http://register.consilium.europa.eu.
</note>