The Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 31/2024 amends Annex IX (Financial services) to the EEA Agreement to incorporate two Commission Delegated Regulations: (EU) 2023/2485 and (EU) 2023/2486.
These regulations relate to establishing technical screening criteria for determining conditions under which certain economic activities qualify as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation or adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, or the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Key Changes
Annex IX to the EEA Agreement is amended to include Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485 of 27 June 2023.
Annex IX to the EEA Agreement is amended to include Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 of 27 June 2023.
The texts of Delegated Regulations (EU) 2023/2485 and (EU) 2023/2486 in Icelandic and Norwegian languages will be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union and shall be authentic.
The decision entered into force on 3 February 2024, provided that all notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement have been made.
Impact Analysis
Financial Institutions and Businesses within the EEA
Action Items: Provide training to relevant staff on the new criteria and their implications for business operations.
EEA Member States
Action Items: Monitor and enforce compliance with the new regulations.
Investors
Impact: Increased transparency and comparability may drive investment towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly activities.
Key Entities Referenced
EEA Joint Committee: The body responsible for amending the EEA Agreement.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485: Regulation amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139, establishing additional technical screening criteria for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486: Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852, establishing technical screening criteria for sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Regulation (EU) 2020/852: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, which Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 supplements.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139: Regulation establishing technical screening criteria for climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178: Regulation amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 regarding specific public disclosures for those economic activities.
EEA Agreement: Agreement on the European Economic Area.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2024/1537 27.6.2024
DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No 31/2024
of 2 February 2024
amending Annex IX (Financial services) to the EEA Agreement [2024/1537]
THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (“the EEA Agreement”), and in particular Article 98
thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485 of 27 June 2023 amending Delegated Regulation
(EU) 2021/2139 establishing additional technical screening criteria for determining the conditions under which
certain economic activities qualify as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation or climate change
adaptation and for determining whether those activities cause no significant harm to any of the other
environmental objectives(1)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 of 27 June 2023supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of
the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the technical screening criteria for determining the
conditions under which an economic activity qualifies as contributing substantially to the sustainable use and
protection of water and marine resources, to the transition to a circular economy, to pollution prevention and
control, or to the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems and for determining whether that
economic activity causes no significant harm to any of the other environmental objectives and amending
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as regards specific public disclosures for those economic
activities(2)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(3) Annex IX to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Annex IX to the EEA Agreement shall be amended as follows:
1. The following indent is added in point 31pa (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139):
‘— 32023 R 2485: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485 of 27 June 2023 (OJ L, 2023/2485,
21.11.2023).’
2. The following indent is added in point 31pb (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178):
‘— 32023 R 2486: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 of 27 June 2023 (OJ L, 2023/2486,
21.11.2023).’
3. The following point is inserted after point 31pb (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178):
‘31pc. 32023 R 2486: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2486 of 27 June 2023 supplementing
Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the technical
screening criteria for determining the conditions under which an economic activity qualifies as contributing
substantially to the sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, to the transition to a
circular economy, to pollution prevention and control, or to the protection and restoration of biodiversity
and ecosystems and for determining whether that economic activity causes no significant harm to any of the
other environmental objectives and amending Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 as regards
specific public disclosures for those economic activities (OJ L, 2023/2486, 21.11.2023).’
(1) OJ L, 2023/2485, 21.11.2023.
(2) OJ L, 2023/2486, 21.11.2023.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/1537/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 27.6.2024
Article 2
The texts of Delegated Regulations (EU) 2023/2485 and (EU) 2023/2486 in the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, to be
published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union, shall be authentic.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on 3 February 2024, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA
Agreement have been made(*).
Article 4
This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European
Union.
Done at Brussels, 2 February 2024.
For the EEA Joint Committee
The President
Nicolas VON LINGEN
(*) No constitutional requirements indicated.
2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/1537/oj