Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 164/2003

of 7 November 2003

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 of the EEA Joint Committee No 102/2000 of 10 November 2000(1).

(2) It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Decision No 1230/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: "Intelligent Energy - Europe" (2003 to 2006)(2).

(3) Protocol 31 to the Agreement should therefore be amended in order to allow for this extended cooperation to take place from 1 January 2003,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Article 14 of Protocol 31 to the Agreement is amended as follows:

1. the following new paragraph is inserted after paragraph 2d:

"2e. As from 1 January 2003, the EFTA States shall participate in the Community programme referred to in paragraph 5(g) and in actions pursuant thereto, with the exception of the programme's specific field 'Coopener' and actions pursuant thereto.";

2. the following shall be added in paragraph 5:

"g) 32003 D 1230: Decision No 1230/2003/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2003 adopting a multiannual programme for action in the field of energy: 'Intelligent Energy - Europe' (2003 to 2006) (OJ L 176, 15.7.2003, p. 29).";

3. "Paragraph 5(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f)" in paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 shall be replaced by "paragraph 5(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g)."

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the first day following the last notification to the EEA Joint Committee under Article 103(1) of the Agreement(3).

It shall apply from 1 January 2003.

Article 3

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

Done at Brussels, 7 November 2003.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

HSH Prinz Nikolaus von Liechtenstein

(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2001, p. 38.

(2) OJ L 176, 15.7.2003, p. 29.

(3) Constitutional requirements indicated.