[pic] | COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES |

Brussels, 13.4.2005

SEC(2005) 457 final

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 EEA EFTA States outside the four freedoms.

2. The attached draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee incorporating Council Decision 2005/12/EC, which amends Decision 1999/847/EC establishing the Community action programme in the field of civil protection and which has been incorporated in the Agreement, aims to modify Protocol 31 to extend this cooperation, with effect from 1 January 2005:

- 32005 D 0012: Council Decision 2005/12/EC of 20 December 2004 amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community action programme in the field of civil protection.

3. Article 1.3(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 concerning the arrangements for implementing the EEA Agreement envisages that the Council establish 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, after which the Commission will put forward the position of the Community in the EEA Joint Committee at the earliest possible occasion.

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 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].

(2) It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Council Decision 2005/12/EC of 20 December 2004 amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community action programme in the field of civil protection[2].

(3) Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place with effect from 1 January 2005,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following shall be added in the third indent of Article 10(8)(b) of Protocol 31 to the Agreement:

‘, as amended by:

- 32005 D 0012 : Council Decision 2005/12/EC of 20 December 2004 amending Decision 1999/847/EC as regards the extension of the Community action programme in the field of civil protection (OJ L 6, 8.1.2005, p. 7).’

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification to the EEA Joint Committee under Article 103(1) of the Agreement*.

It shall apply from 1 January 2005.

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels,

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

The Secretaries to the EEA Joint Committee

[1] OJ L …

[2] OJ L 6, 8.1.2005, p. 7.

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