Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 338(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 of 28 November 1994 concerning arrangements for implementing the Agreement on the European Economic Area^f1, and in particular Article 1(3) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:

The Agreement on the European Economic Area^f2 ("the EEA Agreement") entered into force on 1 January 1994.

Pursuant to Article 98 of the EEA Agreement, the EEA Joint Committee may decide to amend, inter alia, Annex XXI thereto.

Annex XXI to the EEA Agreement contains specific provisions concerning statistics.

Regulation (EU) No 70/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 January 2012 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods by road (recast)^f3 is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement with certain adaptations for the EEA EFTA states.

Regulation (EU) No 70/2012 repeals Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/98^f4, which is incorporated into the EEA Agreement and which is subsequently to be repealed under the EEA Agreement.

Annex XXI to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly.

The position of the Union in the EEA Joint Committee should be based on the attached draft Decision,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: