COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2021/1731

of 23 September 2021

on the position to be adopted on behalf of the European Union within the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment of Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, annexed to the EEA Agreement (Preparatory Action on Defence Research)

(Text with EEA relevance)

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), point (b), 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 is able to decide to amend, inter alia, Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms (‘Protocol 31’), annexed to the EEA Agreement.

(3) The EEA EFTA States should continue to participate in Union activities related to budget line PA 13 17 01 (Preparatory Action on Defence Research), entered into the general budget of the Union for the financial year 2021.

(4) Protocol 31 should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to continue from 1 January 2021.

(5) The position of the Union within the EEA Joint Committee should therefore be based on the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf within the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment of Protocol 31 on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, annexed to the EEA Agreement, shall be based on the draft decision of the EEA Joint Committee (4).

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Brussels, 23 September 2021.

For the Council

The President

G. DOVŽAN

(1)  

OJ L 305, 30.11.1994, p. 6

.

(2)  

OJ L 193, 30.7.2018, p. 1

.

(3)  

OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p. 3

.

(4)  See document ST 10932/21 at http://register.consilium.europa.eu.