THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular 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 Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union, amending Regulations (EU) No 1296/2013, (EU) No 1301/2013, (EU) No 1303/2013, (EU) No 1304/2013, (EU) No 1309/2013, (EU) No 1316/2013, (EU) No 223/2014, (EU) No 283/2014, and Decision No 541/2014/EU and repealing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012(2), and in particular Article 58(2)(b), Article 110(1) and Article 181 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) The Agreement on the European Economic Area(3) (‘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 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms.
(4) It is appropriate to continue the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement in Union actions funded from the general budget of the European Union regarding the preparatory action on defence research.
(5) Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for that extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2019.
(6) The position of the Union within the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the attached Draft decision,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
The position to be adopted, on the Union's behalf, within 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.
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 8 July 2019.
For the Council
The President
A.-K. Pekonen
DRAFT
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 continue the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the EEA Agreement in Union actions funded from the general budget of the European Union regarding the preparatory action on Defence research.
(2) Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for that extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2019,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
In paragraph 13(a) of Article 1 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, the words ‘and 2018’ are replaced by the words ‘, 2018 and 2019’.
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement(4).
It shall apply from 1 January 2019.
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
[No constitutional requirements indicated.] [Constitutional requirements indicated.]