Draft DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE amending Annex I (Veterinary and Phytosanitary Matters) to the EEA Agreement - Draft common position of the Community - (presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1. Annex I (Veterinary and Phytosanitary Matters) to the EEA Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 69/98 of 17 July 1998 following a complete review. The revised Annex I which entered into force on 1 January 1999 included an adaptation text to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products. This was to be subject to a review to be carried out before 1 July 1998. As a result of the review the adaptation text is to be amended.

2. It is for the EEA Joint Committee to take decisions to amend the EEA Agreement, as laid down in Article 98 of the Agreement. The EEA Joint Committee should therefore adopt the attached decision to amend Annex I to the EEA Agreement.

3. Article 1(3)(a) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 concerning arrangements for implementing the EEA Agreement envisages that the Council establishes the Community position for such decisions.

4. The Council is therefore invited:

- to agree to adopt the attached draft EEA Joint Committee decision as the Community position on the revision of Annex I;

- to set a time limit for the European Parliament to give its opinion pursuant to Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 2894/94.

Draft DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE amending Annex I (Veterinary and Phytosanitary Matters) to the EEA Agreement

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 Article 98 thereof,

Whereas Annex I (Veterinary and Phytosanitary Matters) to the Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No ../.. of ... [1],[1] OJ L Whereas Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products [2] was incorporated into the Agreement by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 69/98 of 17 July 1998 [3],

[2] OJ L 46, 19.2.1991, p. 1.

[3] OJ L

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The adaptations in point 5 (Council Directive 91/67/EEC) in Part 4.1 of Chapter I of Annex I to the Agreement shall be replaced by the following:

'the following Articles are inserted:

"Article 28c

1. The present Directive shall apply to consignments to and from Norway.

2. Nevertheless, consignments of live fish belonging to the family Salmonidae, as well as eggs and gametes thereof, shall not be authorised during a transitional period until 31 December 1999. At the request of one of the Contracting Parties, the transitional period shall be extended annually. However, the transitional period shall not be prolonged after 31 December 2002.

3. During the transitional period, and without prejudice to paragraph 1, Norway is authorised to maintain more stringent rules for the placing on its own market of fish farmed in Norway.

Article 28d

1. Consignments of the following species to and from Iceland shall be authorised:

- Atlantic salmon: eggs and gametes

- Rainbow trout: eggs and gametes

- Arctic char: eggs and gametes

- Sea bass: eggs only

- Halibut: alevins only

- Lobster: live for consumption.

2. For consignments to and from Iceland other than those described in paragraph 1, Iceland shall be granted a transitional period until 30 June 2001.".'

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.Article 3This 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 PresidentThe Secretaries to the EEA Joint Committeet