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 update cooperation in the field of education, training and youth. It provides for a framework for cooperation concerning the activities linked to the budget line B3-1003: 'Preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages 2001'. The aim is full participation of the EFTA-EEA States in these Community activities for 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 May 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 the Preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages 2001;

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

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 2c:

'2d. 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:

- B3-1003: 'Preparatory measures for the European Year of Languages 2001'.'

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 and 2d.'

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.]

It shall apply from 1 January 2000.

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 F. Barbaso

The Secretaries to the EEA Joint Committee G. Vik E. Gerner