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 information services and security of information systems. It provides for a framework for cooperation and sets out the modalities for full participation of the EFTA-EEA States in the Community actions in this field:

- Preparatory actions in the framework of the promotion of the European digital content on the global networks mentioned under budget line B5-334 of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2000.

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 July 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, hereafter 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 the preparatory actions in the framework of the promotion of the European digital content on the global networks mentioned under budget line B5-334 of the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2000.

(3) Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place during the financial year 2000,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following paragraph shall be added in Article 2 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement:

'6. The EFTA States shall, as from 1 January 2000, participate in the Community actions related to the following budget line, entered in the general budget of the European Union for the financial year 2000:

- B5-334: Promotion of the European digital content on the global networks.'

Article 2

The words 'paragraph 5' in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Article 2 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement shall be replaced by 'paragraphs 5 and 6'.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on ... 2000, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee [2].

[2] [Constitutional requirements indicated.][No constitutional requirements indicated.]

It shall apply from 1 January 2000.

Article 4

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