Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2014)198 - EU position concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2014)198 - EU position concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement. |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2014)198  |
| date | 31-03-2014 |
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.
Contents
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.
This shall be done via inclusion to the EEA Agreement of Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Creative Europe Programme (2014 to 2020) and repealing Decisions No 1718/2006/EC, No 1855/2006/EC and No 1041/2009/EC[1].
It shall also be noted that Liechtenstein shall be exempted from the participation in, and the financial contribution to, this programme.
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.
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.
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 stipulated in the above mentioned Regulation (EU) No 1295/2013.