1.6.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 147/58

(1)

Protocol 31 to the Agreement was amended by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 17/2006 of 27 January 2006 (1).

(2)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 of 18 September 1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (2).

(3)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Regulation (EC) No 1655/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 2236/1995 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (3).

(4)

Regulation (EC) No 788/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 and Regulations (EC) No 1655/2000, (EC) No 1382/2003 and (EC) No 2152/2003 with a view to adapting the reference amounts to take account of the enlargement of the European Union (4) was included by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 90/2004 (5) of 8 June 2004.

(5)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Regulation (EC) No 807/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (6).

(6)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Regulation (EC) No 1159/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 laying down general rules for the granting of Community financial aid in the field of trans-European networks (7).

(7)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Decision No 1336/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1997 on a series of guidelines for trans-European telecommunications networks (8).

(8)

It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Decision No 1376/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 amending Decision No 1336/97/EC on a series of guidelines for trans-European telecommunications networks (9).

(9)

The cooperation with regard to Regulation (EC) No 2236/95 and the subsequent amendments to it shall be restricted to the field of trans-European telecommunications networks.

(10)

Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place with effect from 1 January 2006,

1.

The following point shall be inserted after point 6 (Promotion of the European digital content on the global networks):

2.

The following paragraph shall be added in point 2:

‘楻egarding the activities referred to in paragraph 7, the EFTA States shall contribute financially to the budget lines 09 03 04 and 09 01 04 03 (trans-European telecommunications networks), as well as to the subsequent corresponding budget lines, in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) of the Agreement.‘�/p>

3.

The text of point 3 shall be replaced by the following:

‘楾he EFTA States shall, as from the start of cooperation in programmes and actions referred to in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7, participate fully in the EC committees which assist the EC Commission in the management, development and implementation of these programmes and actions.‘�/p>