Decision of the EEA Joint Committee

No 181/2003

of 5 December 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 111/2003 of 12 July 2003(1).

(2) It is appropriate to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to the Agreement to include Council Decision 2000/750/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a Community action programme to combat discrimination (2001 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 2004,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

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

1. The text of paragraph 5 is 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, in the programme referred to in the fourth indent from 1 January 2001, in the programmes referred to in the fifth and sixth indents as from 1 January 2002 and in the programme referred to in the seventh indent as from 1 January 2004."

2. The following indent is added in paragraph 8:

"- 32000 D 0750: Council Decision 2000/750/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a Community action programme to combat discrimination (2001 to 2006) (OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 23)."

Article 2

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

It shall apply from 1 January 2004.

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, 5 December 2003.

For the EEA Joint Committee

The President

HSH Prinz Nikolaus von Liechtenstein

(1) OJ L 298, 31.10.2003, p. 37.

(2) OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 23.

(3) Constitutional requirements indicated.