Council Decision (EU) 2026/1460 of 25 June 2026 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)

• CELEX: Decision (EU) 2026/1460
• Articles: 5

Article 1

The position to be adopted on the Union’s behalf within the EEA Joint Committee concerning 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.

Article 1

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

1.

Paragraph 8e shall be amended as follows:

(a)

in point (a), the words ‘the Governmental Satellite Communication (GOVSATCOM) and’ shall be deleted;

(b)

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

(c)

the following point shall be added after point (a):

‘(b)

An EFTA State may participate in the Governmental Satellite Communication (GOVSATCOM) component subject to and under the conditions of a specific agreement as referred to in Article 7(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/696.’

;

(d)

the text of point (c) shall be 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 referred to under point (b).

In addition, in accordance with Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the Agreement, Iceland shall, after the conclusion of an agreement referred to under (b), contribute EUR 147 492 (one hundred and forty seven thousand four hundred and ninety two) to the GOVSATCOM component for the financial years 2021 to 2026. This amount shall be paid in one instalment, to be included in the call for funds for the financial year 2027, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.

In addition, in accordance with Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the Agreement, Norway shall, after the conclusion of an agreement referred to under (b), contribute EUR 2 447 865 (two million four hundred and forty seven thousand eight hundred and sixty five) to the GOVSATCOM component for the financial years 2021 to 2026. This amount shall be paid in one instalment, to be included in the call for funds for the financial year 2027, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.’

;

(e)

in point (d), the word ‘(b)’ shall be replaced by the word ‘(c)’;

(f)

the text of point (o) shall be replaced by the following:

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

2.

The following 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 ).

The provisions of the Regulation shall, for the purposes of this Agreement, be read with the following adaptation:

In Article 5(5), the words “or from the territory of a participating EFTA State” shall be inserted after the words “third country”.

(b)

An EFTA State may participate in the Union Secure Connectivity Programme subject to and under the conditions of a specific agreement as referred to in Article 39(1) of Regulation (EU) 2023/588.

(c)

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, after the conclusion of an agreement referred to under point (b).

In addition, in accordance with Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the Agreement, Iceland shall, after the conclusion of an agreement referred to under (b), contribute EUR 1 173 139 (one million one hundred and seventy three thousand one hundred and thirty nine) for the financial years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. This amount shall be paid in one instalment, to be included in the call for funds for the financial year 2027, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.

In addition, in accordance with Article 82(1)(c) and (2) of the Agreement and as agreed in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 1 of Protocol 32 to the Agreement, Norway shall, after the conclusion of an agreement referred to under (b), contribute EUR 19 801 544 (nineteen million eight hundred and one thousand five hundred and forty four) for the financial years 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. This amount shall be paid in one instalment, to be included in the call for funds for the financial year 2027, as referred to in the first subparagraph of Article 2(2) of Protocol 32.

(d)

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

Article 2

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

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement  ( *1 ) .

Article 3

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