Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 88/2001

of 19 June 2001

amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms

THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,

Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, as amended by the Protocol adjusting the Agreement on the European Economic Area, hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement", and in particular Articles 86 and 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Protocol 31 to the Agreement was amended by Decision No 39/2000 of the Joint Committee of the EEA of 11 April 2000(1).

(2) It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005)(2).

(3) 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 2001,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Article 5 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement shall be amended as follows:

1. the text of paragraph 5 shall be replaced by the following: "The EFTA States shall participate in the Community programmes and actions referred to in the first two indents of paragraph 8 as from 1 January 1996, in the programme referred to in the third indent as from 1 January 2000 and in the programme referred to in the fourth indent with effect from 1 January 2001.";

2. the following indent shall be added in paragraph 8: "- 32001 D 0051: Council Decision 2001/51/EC of 20 December 2000 establishing a Programme relating to the Community framework strategy on gender equality (2001-2005) (OJ L 17, 19.1.2001, p. 22)."

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on 20 June 2001, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee(3).

It shall apply from 1 January 2001.

Article 3

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, 19 June 2001.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

P. Westerlund

(1) OJ L 141, 15.6.2000, p. 67.

(2) OJ L 17, 19.1.2001, p. 22.

(3) No constitutional requirements indicated.