Annex Declaration by the EFTA States to Decision No …/2017 amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement to extend the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to include the participation of the EFTA States in the Union's preparatory action on defence research

This Decision extends the cooperation of the Contracting Parties to include the participation of the EFTA States in the Union's preparatory action on defence research. The EFTA States consider that defence matters fall outside the scope of the EEA Agreement, and therefore that the adoption of this Decision does not extend the scope of the EEA Agreement to include defence matters beyond the participation of the EFTA States in that preparatory action. The EFTA States also stress that Iceland and Liechtenstein shall not participate in, and shall not financially contribute to, this preparatory action.