Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 159/2001

of 11 December 2001

amending Annex XVIII (Health and safety at work, labour law, and equal treatment for men and women) to the EEA Agreement

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 Article 98 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Annex XVIII to the Agreement was amended by Decision No 120/2001 of the EEA Joint Committee of 28 September 2001(1).

(2) Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses(2) is to be incorporated into the Agreement.

(3) Council Directive 2001/23/EC repeals Council Directive 77/187/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses(3), which is incorporated into the Agreement and which is consequently to be repealed under the Agreement,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The following point shall be inserted after point 32c (Council Directive 2000/79/EC) of Annex XVIII to the Agreement:

"32d. 32001 L 0023: Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses (OJ L 82, 22.3.2001, p. 16)."

Article 2

The text of point 23 (Council Directive 77/187/EEC) of Annex XVIII shall be deleted.

Article 3

The texts of Directive 2001/23/EC in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, to be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities, shall be authentic.

Article 4

This Decision shall enter into force on 12 December 2001, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the Agreement have been made to the EEA Joint Committee(4).

Article 5

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, 11 December 2001.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

B. Grydeland

(1) OJ L 322, 6.12.2001, p. 36.

(2) OJ L 82, 22.3.2001, p. 16.

(3) OJ L 61, 5.3.1977, p. 26.

(4) Constitutional requirements indicated.