Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be adopted on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms [Extended Climate Cooperation EU – Iceland – Norway]

1.CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

•Reasons for and objectives of the proposal

In order to ensure the requisite of legal security and homogeneity of the Internal Market, the EEA Joint Committee is to integrate all the relevant EU legislation into the EEA Agreement as soon as possible after its adoption and also allow for the participation of the EEA EFTA States in EEA relevant EU actions or programmes.

The draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee (annexed to the proposed Council Decision) aims to amend Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement on “cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms” in order to allow the EEA EFTA States (in this case Norway and Iceland) to collaborate with the EU in order to fulfil their respective greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2030, and to do so within the EEA framework.

•Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area

The annexed draft Joint Committee Decision if fully consistent with the aim of the EEA Agreement to promote a continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Contracting Parties with equal conditions of competition, and the respect of the same rules, with a view to creating a homogeneous European Economic Area.

•Consistency with other Union policies

The Joint Committee Decision is also consistent with other Union policies, particularly through the aim to protect homogeneity of the EU Internal Market.

2.LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY

•Legal basis

The legislation to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement is based on Article 191 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof.

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