1Council Decision (EU) 2025/554 of 11 March 2025 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 (GOVSATCOM and Secure Connectivity) (Text with EEA relevance)

Article 1 of Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement is amended as follows:

1. Paragraph 8e is amended as follows:

(a) in point (a), the words the Governmental Satellite Communication (GOVSATCOM) and are deleted;

(b) points (b) to (o) are renumbered as point (c) to (p);

(c) the following point is added after point (a):

(b) An EFTA State may become a participant in the Governmental Satellite Communication (GOVSATCOM) component, subject to the conclusion of a specific agreement as referred to in Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/696.

;

(d) the text of point (c) is replaced by the following:

The EFTA States shall contribute financially to the activities referred to under (a) in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) of and Protocol 32 to the Agreement.

The EFTA States shall contribute financially to the activities referred to under (b) in accordance with Article 82(1)(a) of and Protocol 32 to the Agreement, after the conclusion of an agreement as referred to under (b).

In addition, based on Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the EEA Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the EEA Agreement, Iceland shall, after the conclusion of an agreement as referred to under (b), contribute the amount of EUR 98000 (ninety-eight thousand) for the financial years 2021 to 2024 to the GOVSATCOM component. This amount shall take the form of three equal instalments, to be included respectively in the call for funds for the financial years 2025, 2026 and 2027, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.

In addition, based on Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the EEA Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the EEA Agreement, Norway shall, after the conclusion of an agreement as referred to under (b), contribute the amount of EUR 1896000 (one million eight hundred and ninety-six thousand) for the financial years 2021 to 2024 to the GOVSATCOM component. This amount shall take the form of three equal instalments, to be included in the call for funds for the financial years 2025, 2026 and 2027, respectively, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.

;

(e) in point (d), the word (b) is replaced by the word (c);

(f) the text of point (o) is replaced by the following:

With regard to Liechtenstein, this paragraph shall be suspended until otherwise decided by the EEA Joint Committee..

1. The following paragraph is inserted after paragraph 8e:

8f.

(a) The EFTA States shall participate in the activities which may result from the following Union act:

32023 R 0588: Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027 (OJ L 79, 17.3.2023, p. 1).

(b) An EFTA State may become a participant to the Union Secure Connectivity Programme, subject to the conclusion of a specific agreement as referred to in Article 39(1) of Regulation (EU) 2023/588.