Proposal for a 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 EEA EFTA 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 a framework for co-operation and sets out the modalities for the full participation of the EEA EFTA States in the Community programme and actions in this field:

- B3-1 0 0 0A: 'Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy - expenditure on administrative management';

- B3-1 0 0 0: 'Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy'.

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 March 2002.

Proposal for a 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 amended 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 continue the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement on Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy - expenditure on administrative management.

(3) It is appropriate to continue the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement on Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy.

(4) Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow this cooperation to continue beyond 31 December 2001,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The text of point 2f (Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy) in Article 4 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement shall be replaced by the following:

'2f. The EFTA States shall, with effect from 1 January 2001, participate in the Community actions related to the following budget lines, entered in the general budget of the European Union for the financial years 2001 and 2002:

- B3-1 0 0 0A: "Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy - expenditure on administrative management";

- B3-1 0 0 0: "Preparatory actions for cooperation in the fields of education and of youth policy".'.

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 [2].

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

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, .

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

The Secretaries to the EEA Joint Committee