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Agreement on the participation of Croatia in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the related Protocol, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the EU

2014/0047(NLE)

PURPOSE: to conclude an Agreement on the participation of Croatia in the European Economic Area and the related Protocol, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement on the European Economic Area was signed on 2 May 1992 and entered into force on 1 January 1994.

In accordance with the Act of Accession of Croatia, that country undertook to become a party to the EEA Agreement.

This proposal is the legal instrument for the conclusion of the Agreement on the participation of Croatia in the EEA. The Agreement and three additional related protocols:

  • the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between Norway and the European Union on a Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the period 2009-2014 consequent to the participation of Croatia in the European Economic Area ;
  • the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and Iceland consequent to the accession of Croatia to the European Union;
  • the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and Norway consequent to the accession of Croatia to the European Union were signed by the Union, in accordance with a Council decision, subject to their conclusion.

The Agreement and the related Protocols should be concluded, on behalf of the European Union.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 217 in conjunction with Article 218(6) and the second subparagraph of Article 218(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Act of Accession of Croatia.

CONTENT: under this proposal, the Council is invited to adopt a decision aiming to approve, on behalf of the European Union and its Member States, the Agreement on the participation of Croatia in the European Economic Area and the related Additional Protocol to the Agreement between Norway and the European Union on a Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the period 2009-2014 consequent to the participation of Croatia in the European Economic Area, to take account of the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

The text of the Agreement is attached to the proposal.

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the Union, deposit the instruments of approval provided for in the Agreement and each of the related Protocols. The content of the agreement is identical to that of the Commission’s proposal (please refer to the summary dated 17/02/2014 of the initial legislative proposal).