HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"L 188/6
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
18.7.2012
COUNCIL DECISION
of 10 July 2012
on the position to be taken by 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
(2012/401/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on
the European Earth monitoring programme (GMES) and
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
its initial operations (2011 to 2013) ( 3 ).
Union, and in particular Article 189, in conjunction with
Article 218(9) thereof,
(5) Protocol
31
to
the
EEA
Agreement
should
therefore
be
amended accordingly.
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 of
28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing
(6) The
position
of
the
Union
in
the
EEA
Joint
Committee
should be based on the attached draft Decision,
the Agreement on the European Economic Area (


1 ), and in
particular Article 1(3) thereof,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Article 1
Whereas:
The position to be taken by the European Union in the EEA

Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol 31 to
(1) The
Agreement
on
the
European
Economic
Area
(
the EEA Agreement shall be based on the draft Decision of the

2 ) (‘the
EEA Agreement’) entered into force on 1 January 1994.
EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision.
Article 2
(2)
Pursuant to Article 98 of the EEA Agreement, the EEA
Joint Committee may decide to amend, among others,
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.
Protocol 31 thereto.
(3) Protocol
31
to
the
EEA
Agreement
contains
provisions
and arrangements concerning cooperation in specific
Done at Brussels, 10 July 2012.
fields outside the four freedoms.
For the Council
(4) It
is
appropriate
to
extend
the
cooperation
of
the
Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include
The President
Regulation (EU) No 911/2010 of the European
V. SHIARLY
( 1 ) OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6.
( 2 ) OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3.
( 3 ) OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, p. 1.

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EN
18.7.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
188/7
DRAFT
DECISION No …/2012 OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE
of
amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four
freedoms
THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,
— 32010 R 0911: Regulation (EU) No
911/2010 of the European Parliament and
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic
of the Council of 22 September 2010 on
Area, as amended by the Protocol adjusting the Agreement
the European Earth monitoring programme
on the European Economic Area, (‘the EEA Agreement’), and
(GMES) and its initial operations (2011 to
in particular Articles 86 and 98 thereof,
2013) (OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, p. 1).
Whereas:
(b) The EFTA States shall contribute financially to
(1) Protocol
31
to
the
EEA
Agreement
was
amended
by
the activities referred to under (a) in accordance
Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No …/… of … ( 1 ).
with Article 82(1)(a) of and Protocol 32 to the
Agreement.
(2) A
comprehensive
earth
monitoring
system
is
of
central
importance to the sustainable management of Northern
(c) The EFTA States shall participate fully, without
Europe and the Arctic.
the right to vote, in all the Union committees
which assist the European Commission in the
(3) Norway
has
contributed
to
the
development
of
the
European Earth Monitoring programme (GMES), both
management, development and implementation
in the Seventh Framework Programme of the European
of the activities referred to under (a), namely
Community for research, technological development and
the GMES Committee, the Security Board and
demonstration activities (2007-2013) and as member of
the User Forum.
the European Space Agency.
(d) This paragraph shall not apply to Liechtenstein.
(4) It
is
appropriate
to
extend
the
cooperation
of
the
Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement to include
(e) With regard to Iceland, this paragraph shall be
Regulation (EU) No 911/2010 of the European
suspended until otherwise decided by the EEA
Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010
Joint Committee.’.
on the European Earth monitoring programme (GMES)
and its initial operations (2011 to 2013) ( 2 ).
Article 2
(5) Protocol
31
to
the
EEA
Agreement
should
therefore
be This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last
amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation
notification to the EEA Joint Committee under Article 103(1) of
to take place from 1 January 2012,
the EEA Agreement (*).
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
It shall apply from 1 January 2012.
Article 1
Article 3
Article 1 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement shall be
This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in
amended as follows:
the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European
(1) Paragraph 6 is replaced by the following:
Union.
‘6. Evaluation
and
major
direction
of
activities
in
the
framework programmes of Union activities in the field of
research and technological development referred to in para
Done at …, …
graphs 5, 8a, 8c, 9 and 10 shall be governed by the
procedure referred to in Article 79(3) of the Agreement.’.
(2) The following paragraph is inserted after paragraph 8b:
For the EEA Joint Committee
‘8c. (a)
The
EFTA
States
shall,
as
from
1
January
2012,
participate in the activities which may result
The Secretaries
from the following Union act:
The President
to the EEA Joint Committee
( 1 ) OJ L …
(*) [No constitutional requirements indicated.] [Constitutional
( 2 ) OJ L 276, 20.10.2010, p. 1.
requirements indicated.]

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