Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2012)592 - EU position in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 (on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms) to the EEA Agreement - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2012)592 - EU position in the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 (on cooperation in specific fields outside the ... |
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| source | COM(2012)592  |
| date | 17-10-2012 |
In order to ensure the requisite legal security and homogeneity of the Internal Market, the EEA Joint Committee is to integrate all the relevant EU legislation into the EEA Agreement as soon as possible after its adoption.
Art. 78 of the EEA Agreement provides that the Contracting Parties shall strengthen and broaden cooperation in the framework of the Union’s activities in the fields of, inter alia, research and technological development.
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 in order to terminate the suspension of Iceland's participation in the framework of the European Earth monitoring programme (GMES).
This concerns Regulation (EU) No 911/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the European Earth monitoring programme (GMES) and its initial operations (2011 to 2013) i.
The participation of Iceland in the GMES programme had been suspended temporarily, due to economic constraints, when Regulation No 911/2010 was incorporated in the EEA Agreement by Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 139/2012. It is now considered appropriate to terminate the temporary suspension of the participation of Iceland in the GMES programme.
Article 1 i 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.