Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms
Date: 2014-03-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, European Economic Area, cooperation in the field of education, education, revision of an agreement, sport, vocational training, youth policy













EUR-Lex - 52014PC0142 - EN











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52014PC0142

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms /* COM/2014/0142 final - 2014/0081 (NLE) */









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 Union legislation into the EEA Agreement as soon as possible
after its adoption and also allow for the participation of the EEA EFTA States
in EEA relevant EU actions, activities or programmes.
Article 78 of the EEA Agreement provides that
the Contracting Parties shall strengthen and broaden cooperation in the framework
of the Union’s activities in the fields of, inter alia, education, training and
youth. 
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 Protocol 31 to the EEA
Agreement on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms in order
to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties in the area of education,
training and youth.
It is therefore needed to incorporate in the
EEA Agreement Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme
for education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No
1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC[1].
Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should
therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take
place from 1 January 2014.
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.
4.           BUDGETARY IMPLICATION 
It is proposed
that Protocol 31 to the Agreement on the EEA be amended in order to allow
EEA/EFTA States to participate in the programme and to contribute financially
to it as indicated in the decision.
2014/0081 (NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL DECISION
on the position to be adopted, on behalf
of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to
Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the
four freedoms 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning
of the European Union, and in particular Articles 165(4) and 166(4) and 218 (9)
thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No
2894/94 of 28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing the
Agreement on the European Economic Area[2],
and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)       Protocol 31 to the
Agreement on the European Economic Area, (hereinafter referred to as "the
EEA Agreement") contains specific provisions and arrangements concerning
cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms,
(2)       It is appropriate to
extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to
include Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the
Council of 11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for
education, training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC,
No 1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC[3],
(3)       Protocol 31 to the EEA
Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended
cooperation to take place from 1 January 2014.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1
The position to be taken by the Union in the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA
Agreement shall be based on the draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee
attached to this Decision.
Article 2
This
Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
Done at Brussels,
                                                                       For
the Council
                                                                       The
President
[1]               OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50.
[2]               OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6. 
[3]               OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50.
ANNEX
DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT
COMMITTEE No .../2014
of XXX
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 (“the EEA Agreement”), and in particular Articles 86 and
98 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)              
It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of
the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No
1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013
establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and
sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No 1720/2006/EC and No
1298/2008/EC[1].
(2)              
Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should
therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take
place from 1 January 2014,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Article 4 of Protocol 31 to the EEA
Agreement shall be amended as follows:
1.           The following paragraph is
inserted after paragraph 2m:
‘2n.   The EFTA States shall, with effect from
1 January 2014, participate in the following programme:
–              
32013 R 1288:
Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of
11 December 2013 establishing ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education,
training, youth and sport and repealing Decisions No 1719/2006/EC, No
1720/2006/EC and No 1298/2008/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50).’
2.           The text of paragraph 3 is
replaced by the following:
‘The EFTA States shall contribute financially
in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) of the Agreement to the programmes and
actions referred to in paragraphs 1, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j,
2k, 2l, 2m and 2n.’
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the
day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement*.
It shall apply from 1 January 2014.
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 347, 20.12.2013, p. 50.
*               [No constitutional requirements indicated.]
[Constitutional requirements indicated.]