Draft DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms - Draft common position of the Community

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement contains specific provisions on the cooperation between the Community and the EFTA-EEA States outside the four freedoms.

2. The attached draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee aims to modify Protocol 31 to extend cooperation in the field of public health. It provides for a framework for cooperation and sets out the modalities for full participation of the EFTA-EEA States in the Community programme and actions in this field:

- Programme of Community action on rare diseases within the framework for action in the field of public health (1999 to 2003) (Decision No 1295/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council).

3. Article 1.3(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 concerning the arrangements for implementing the EEA Agreement envisages that the Council establishes the Community position for such Decisions on a proposal from the Commission.

4. The draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee is submitted for the approval of the Council. The Commission would hope to be able to put forward the position of the Community in the EEA Joint Committee in February 2000.

Draft

DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE

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, as adjusted by the Protocol adjusting the Agreement on the European Economic Area, hereinafter referred to as 'the Agreement', and in particular Articles 86 and 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Protocol 31 to the Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No ... of ... [1];

[1] OJ L ...

(2) It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include a programme of Community action on rare diseases within the framework for action in the field of public health (1999 to 2003) (Decision No 1295/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [2]);

[2] OJ L 155, 22.6.1999, p. 1.

(3) Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2000,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Article 16 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement shall be amended as follows:

1. The following indent shall be added in paragraph 1:

'- 399 D 1295: Decision No 1295/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 1999 adopting a programme of Community action on rare diseases within the framework for action in the field of public health (1999 to 2003) (OJ L 155, 22.6.1999, p. 1)'.

2. The text of paragraph 2 shall be replaced by the following:

'The EFTA States shall participate in the Community programme and actions referred to in the first three indents of paragraph 1 as from 1 January 1996, in the programme referred to in the fourth indent as from 1 January 1997, in the programme referred to in the fifth indent as from 1 January 1998 and in the programme referred to in the sixth indent as from 1 January 2000.'

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on ... , provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee.

It shall apply from 1 January 2000.

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels, ..... 2000.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

The Secretaries to the EEA Joint Committee