Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the European Union in the EEA Joint Committeeconcerning an amendment to Annex XXI (Statistics)
Date: 2012-03-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Economic Area, economic statistics, environmental statistics, revision of an agreement

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 6.3.2012  
COM(2012) 87 final 

2012/0037 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position to be taken by the European Union in the EEA Joint Committee 
concerning an amendment to Annex XXI (Statistics) 

 
 
  
 
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

In  order  to  ensure  the  requisite  legal  security  and  homogeneity  of  the  Internal  Market,  the 
EEA Joint Committee is to integrate all the relevant European Union legislation into the EEA 
Agreement as soon as possible after its adoption. 

2. 

RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND 
IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

The draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee (annexed to the proposed Council Decision) 
aims to amend Annex XXI (Statistics) by adding new European Union acquis in this field.  

This concerns Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  6  July  2011  on  European  environmental  economic  accounts,  which  is  to  be  incorporated 
into the Agreement.  

For the purpose of the implementation of this act, certain adaptations are proposed:  

(a) 

(b) 

With regard to Iceland, Annexes I, II and III to the Regulation are to be implemented 
within  2  years  from  the  first  transmission  deadline  to  allow  for  the  further 
development of the Icelandic national environmental accounts. 

Since  Liechtenstein  is  already  exempted  from  the  European  system  of  national  and 
regional  accounts  according  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2223/961,  it  is  to  be 
exempted  from  the  obligations  concerning  the  European  environmental  economic 
accounts as well.  

3. 

LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE PROPOSAL 

Article  1(3)  of  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2894/94  concerning  arrangements  for 
implementing  the  EEA  Agreement  provides  that  the  Council  establishes  the  position  to  be 
adopted on the Union’s behalf on such Decisions, on a proposal from the Commission. 

The Commission submits the Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee for adoption by the 
Council as the Union’s position. The Commission would hope to be able to present it in the 
EEA Joint Committee at the earliest possible opportunity. 

1 

OJ L 310, 30.11.1996, p. 1. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
                                                 
2012/0037 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position to be taken by the European Union in the EEA Joint Committee 
concerning an amendment to Annex XXI (Statistics) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 338(1) and 218(9) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

Annex  XXI  to  the  Agreement  on  the  European  Economic  Area  ("the  EEA 
Agreement") contains specific provisions and arrangements concerning statistics. 

Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 
2011 on European environmental economic accounts1 should be incorporated into the 
Agreement. 

(3)  With regard to Iceland, Annexes I, II and III to the Regulation are to be implemented 
within  2  years  from  the  first  transmission  deadline  to  allow  for  the  further 
development of the Icelandic national environmental accounts. 

(4) 

Since  Liechtenstein  is  already  exempted  from  the  European  system  of  national  and 
regional  accounts  according  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2223/962,  it  is  to  be 
exempted  from  the  obligations  concerning  the  European  environmental  economic 
accounts as well, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:  

Article 1 

The  position  to  be  taken  by  the  Union  within  the  EEA  Joint  Committee  on  the  proposed 
amendment to Annex XXI to the EEA Agreement shall be based on the draft Decision of the 
EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision. 

1 
2 

OJ L 192, 22.7.2011, p. 1. 
OJ L 310, 30.11.1996, p. 1. 

EN 

3 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
Article 2 

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

EN 

4 

   EN 

 
 
 
ANNEX  

Draft 

DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE  
No 

of 

amending Annex XXI (Statistics) to the EEA Agreement 

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 Article 98 thereof, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

Annex XXI to the Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee 
No …/… of …1. 

Regulation  (EU)  No  691/2011  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  6 
July 2011 on European environmental economic accounts2 is to be incorporated into 
the Agreement, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 

Article 1 

The  following  point  shall  be  inserted  after  point  27b  (Commission  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1445/2005) of Annex XXI to the Agreement: 

‘27c. 

32011 R 0691: Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council  of  6  July  2011  on  European  environmental  economic  accounts  (OJ  L  192, 
22.7.2011, p. 1). 

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of this Agreement, be read 
with the following adaptations: 

(a)  With  regard  to  Iceland,  Annexes  I,  II  and  III  to  the  Regulation  shall  be 

implemented within 2 years from the first transmission deadline. 

(b)  This Regulation shall not apply to Liechtenstein.’ 

1 
2 

OJ L … 
OJ L 192, 22.7.2011, p. 1. 

EN 

5 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Article 2 

The texts of Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, to be 
published  in  the  EEA  Supplement  to  the  Official  Journal  of  the  European  Union,  shall  be 
authentic. 

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 3 

Article 4 

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 
[…] 

* 

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

EN 

6 

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