How the EEA Agreement works

Transcription

1 EFTA Seminar on the EEA Agreement Geneva, 17 April 2018 How the EEA Agreement works Brit Helle Director - Goods Division EFTA Secretariat bhe@efta.int

2 Overview What the EEA is and what it is not? The EFTA Secretariat and the EEA Structure Nature and challenges of the EEA cooperation

3 Members of the EEA Agreement 28 EU Member States 3 EEA EFTA Countries Liechtenstein Iceland Norway

4 The Four Objec-ves of the European Union Article 3 (2-5) TEU Freedom, Security and Justice Internal Market Economic and Monetary Union Foreign Policy Free movement of persons External border controls Asylum and immigration Free movement of goods, services, capital and workers Sector policies and programmes Cohesion Euro Stability and growth pact Treaty on stability cooperation and governance Common foreign and security policy Defence Aid Prevention and combating of crime Customs union European stability mechanism Trade Enlargement

5 The One Objec-ve of the EEA Article 1 EEA Freedom, Security and Justice Internal Market Economic and Monetary Union Foreign Policy Free movement of persons External border controls Asylum and Immigration Free movement of goods, services, capital and workers Sector policies and programmes Cohesion Euro Stability and growth pact Treaty on stability cooperation and governance Common foreign and security policy Defence Aid Prevention and combating of crime Customs union European stability mechanism Trade Enlargement

6 European Economic Area - Extending the EU Internal Market (1) Four Freedoms Free movement of goods Free movement of services Free movement of capital Free movement of workers Horizontal Policies Research and Development Education Environment Social policy Consumer protection Statistics Company law

7 European Economic Area - Extending the EU Internal Market (2) Common Rules State aid Competition Public procurement Cooperation EU programmes EU agencies Cohesion EEA and Norway Grants

8 European Economic Area - Extending the EU Internal Market (3) The EEA Agreement does not cover: Third Country Issues Common Trade Policy Customs Union Justice and Home Affairs EU Regional Policy Economic and Monetary Union Common Foreign, Security and Defense Policy Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policy But... EEA extended in 1998 to cover Food Safety and Veterinary matters

9 Schengen Agreement Bilateral agreement - Not through the EEA Agreement Schengen Area: Travel without border checks Established in European countries Over 400 million people All four EFTA States associated bilaterally Iceland 1996 Norway 1996 Switzerland 2004 Liechtenstein 2008

10 EFTA Secretariat Three functions Intra-EFTA EFTA 4 Geneva Brussels Free Trade Relations EFTA 4 Geneva EEA Agreement EFTA 3 Brussels and Luxembourg (statistics)

11 ICELAND LIECHTENSTEIN NORWAY EFTA STANDING COMMITTEE EFTA Secretariat EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY EFTA COURT EEA COUNCIL EEA JOINT COMMITTEE The EEA two-pillar structure COUNCIL PRESIDENCY + EEAS EUROPEAN EXTERNAL ACTION SERVICE EUROPEAN COMMSSION COURT OF JUSTICE COMMITTEE OF MPs OF THE EFTA STATES EFTA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE EEA JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE EEA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

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13 Decision shaping Channels for influence EEA EFTA experts participating in Consultations Commission s expert committees Programme committees EFTA-Comments National experts in the Commission EFTA Working Groups Informal contact with European Council and Parliament

14 The EEA - Static and Dynamic Principle of homogeneity EEA rules should be implemented, interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the European Economic Area Static in scope Only covers matters related to the internal market scope unchanged since 1992 (except addition of Food and veterinary matters 1998) Dynamic in character Updated continuously by incorporating new EEA relevant EU legislation

15 EEA Statistics 2018 Number of legal acts incorporated At the time of signing in 1992: acts Incorporated since the signing: Around acts Acts in force today: Around acts

16 Processing volumes and Backlog Acts awaiting incorporation vs. acts identified & acts incorporated/excluded Acts identified (per year) Acts excluded (per year) Acts incorporated (per year) Acts awaiting incorporation (monitoring list) Acts in Financial Services field

17 Closing remarks The EEA extends the EU internal market to 31 countries = EU 28 + EFTA 3 The EFTA Secretariat assists the EEA EFTA States under the EFTA Standing Committee structure in : Decision shaping Incorporation of legal acts Main challenge to maintain homogeneity

18 Thank you! European Free Trade Association - EFTA followers