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 co-operation 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 education, training and youth. It provides for a framework for co-operation and sets out the modalities for the full participation of the EFTA-EEA States in the Community programme and actions in this field:

- 32000 D 1934: Decision No 1934/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 on the European Year of Languages 2001 (OJ L 232, 14.9.2000, p. 1).

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 October 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 Decision No 1934/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 on the European Year of Languages 2001 [2].

[2] OJ L 232, 14.9.2000, 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 2001,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Article 4 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement shall be amended as follows:

1. The following paragraph shall be inserted after paragraph 2d (Budget Line B3-1003):

'2e. The EFTA States shall, as from 1 January 2001, participate in the following programme:

- 32000 D 1934: Decision No 1934/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 on the European Year of Languages 2001 (OJ L 232, 14.9.2000, p. 1).'

2. The text of paragraph 3 shall be replaced by the following:

'The EFTA States shall contribute financially in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) to the programmes and actions referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and 2e.'

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 [3].

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2001.

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