Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 13/2000

of 28 January 2000

amending Annex XIX (consumer protection) to the EEA Agreement

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as adjusted by the Protocol adjusting the Agreement on the European Economic Area, hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement", and in particular Article 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Annex XIX to the Agreement was amended by Decision No 7/94 of the EEA Joint Committee of 21 March 1994(1).

(2) Commission Recommendation 98/257/EC of 30 March 1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies responsible for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes(2) is to be incorporated into the Agreement,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following point shall be added after point 17 (Commission Recommendation 88/41/EEC) in Annex XIX to the Agreement: "18. 398 X 0257: Commission Recommendation 98/257/EC of 30 March 1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies responsible for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes (OJ L 115, 17.4.1998, p. 31)."

Article 2

The texts of Recommendation 98/257/EC in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, which are annexed to the respective language versions of this Decision, are authentic.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on 29 January 2000, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee(3).

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the EEA section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Done at Brussels, 28 January 2000.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

F. Barbaso

(1) OJ L 160, 28.6.1994, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 115, 17.4.1998, p. 31.

(3) No constitutional requirements indicated.