2014/267/EU: Council Decision of 6 May 2014 on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms
Date: 2014-05-06
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU financing, EU research policy, European Economic Area, European Institute of Innovation and Technology, Framework Programme for Research and Development, economic growth, innovation, knowledge economy, research and development, research expenditure (EU), revision of an agreement, technological change




L_2014138EN.01009801.xml










13.5.2014   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 138/98








            COUNCIL DECISION
         
of 6 May 2014
         
on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

(2014/267/EU)



THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 173(3) and 182(1) in conjunction with Article 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 (1), and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The Agreement on the European Economic Area (2) (‘the EEA Agreement’) entered into force on 1 January 1994.












(2)


Pursuant to Article 98 of the EEA Agreement, the EEA Joint Committee may decide to amend, inter alia, Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement.












(3)


Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement contains provisions and arrangements concerning cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms.












(4)


It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3).












(5)


It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No 1292/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4).












(6)


Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly, in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2014.












(7)


The position of the Union within the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached draft Decision,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, in the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, 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 date of its adoption.




Done at Brussels, 6 May 2014.


For the Council


The President

G. STOURNARAS
            





(1)  
            OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6.

(2)  
            OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3.

(3)  Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104).

(4)  Regulation (EU) No 1292/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 294/2008 establishing the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 174).





DRAFT


DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No …/2014
of …
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 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (1).












(2)


It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include Regulation (EU) No 1292/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 294/2008 establishing the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (2).












(3)


Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly, in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2014,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
Article 1 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement is amended as follows:






1.


The following is added in paragraph 5:






‘—



32013 R 1291: Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104).
Liechtenstein shall be exempted from the participation in, and the financial contribution to, this programme.’
                                    














2.


The following is added in paragraph 11(a):

                              ‘, as amended by:






—



32013 R 1292: Regulation (EU) No 1292/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 amending Regulation (EC) No 294/2008 establishing the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 174).’
                                 














3.


The text of paragraph 11(b) is deleted.






Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement (*1).
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. 104.

(2)  
            OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 174.

(*1)  [No constitutional requirements indicated.] [Constitutional requirements indicated.]