Council Decision (EU) 2024/956 of 4 March 2024 on the position to be adopted, on behalf of the European Union, within the EEA Joint Committee concerning an amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms (EDIRPA)

The position to be adopted, on behalf of the Union, within the EEA Joint Committee on the proposed amendment to Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms, shall be based on the draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee attached to this Decision.

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

The following paragraph is added after paragraph 15 of Article 7 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement: ‘16. 32023 R 2418: Regulation (EU) 2023/2418 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 on establishing an instrument for the reinforcement of the European defence industry through common procurement (EDIRPA) (OJ L, 2023/2418, 26.10.2023). The EFTA States shall, as from 27 October 2023, participate in the Union actions related to the following budget lines, entered into the general budget of the European Union: Budget line 13 01 04: “Support expenditure for the Short-term Defence instrument on common procurement”, Budget line 13 06 01: “Short-term Defence instrument on common procurement”. The costs incurred for activities the implementation of which starts after 27 October 2023 or, where the conditions of Article 6(3) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2418 are fulfilled, after 24 February 2022 may be considered eligible as from the starting date of the action fixed in the grant agreement or the grant decisions concerned, under the conditions set out therein, provided that Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No … of … [This Decision] enters into force before the end of the action. Iceland and Liechtenstein shall be exempted from participation in, and the financial contribution to, the Instrument established by Regulation (EU) 2023/2418.’

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement . It shall apply from 27 October 2023.

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