EFTA%20Seminar%20on%20the%20EEA%20Agreement%20

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EFTA Seminar on the EEA Agreement 4 September
2014How EU law becomes EEA lawTore
GrønningæterSenior Information and Communication
OfficerEFTA Secretariattgr_at_efta.int
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European integration models

• 1957- The EU model (EEC/EC/EU) supranationality
• 1960- The EFTA model intergovernmental
  cooperation
• 1973- The bilateral free trade model
• 1994- The European Economic Area model
• 1999- The Swiss bilaterals model
• 2001- The Schengen model

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The challenges of the 1980s

• End of European economic growth in the 1970ties
• US and Japan dominace in the electronic industry
• Numerous physical, technical and fiscal barriers
  to trade
• Failure of the old regulatory approach
  (harmonization)
• The EC response Single European Act (1987)
• Completing the internal marked by end of 1992
• Strengthening of the four freedoms and supporting
  policies
• Decisions by qualified majority voting

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The birth of the EEA

• 1984 - First EFTA-EU Ministerial meeting,
  Luxembourg
• Declaration on a dynamic European Economic
  Space
• 1989 - Commission President Delors offers the
  EFTA countries an EEA solution
• 1989 - Fall of the Berlin wall
• 1992 - EEA negotiations finalized (signature)
• 1993 - Swiss no-vote
• 1994 - Entry into force of the EEA

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COUNCIL PRESIDENCY EEAS EUROPEAN EXT.
ACTION SERVICE THE COMMSSION THE COURT OF
JUSTICE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
ICELAND LIECHTENSTEIN NORWAY EFTA STANDING
COMMITTEE EFTA SURVEILLANCE AUTHORITY EFTA
COURT COMMITTEE OF MPs OF THE EFTA STATES
EFTA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
EEA COUNCIL EEA JOINT COMMITTEE EEA
JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE EEA
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
The EEA two-pillar structure
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European Economic Area -extending the EU
Internal Market

• Four Freedoms
• Free movement of goods
• Free movement of services
• Free movement of capital
• Free movement of persons
• Horizontal policies
• Environment
• Social policy
• Consumer protection
• Statistics
• Company law

• Common Rules
• State Aid
• Competition
• Cooperation
• EU Programmes
• EU Agencies
• Cohesion
• EEA and Norway Grants

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The EEA - static and dynamic

• Static in scope
• Covers the EU internal market (with some
  exceptions)
• No additional areas foreseen to be included
• Dynamic in character
• Updated continuously by adding new EU legislation
  in areas already covered by the Agreement
• Ensuring homogeneity with the EEA

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The EEA does not cover

• Third country issues (some exceptions)
• Common Trade Policy
• EU Customs Union (towards third countries)
• Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies
• EU Regional Policy
• Economic and Monetary Union
• Justice and Home Affairs
• Common Foreign, Security and Defense Policy

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Challenges

• Changes to the EU Treaties
• Abolision of the EU pillars (combining areas)
• EU Agencies with legislative competence
• Extended geographical scope (offshore/maritime)
• Efficient take over of EU legislation
  (homogeneity)
• EEA EFTA influence on EU decision making
• Making the EEA Agreement known

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From EU law to EEA law

• http//www.efta.int/media/documents/eea/1113623-Ho
  w-EU-acts-become-EEA-acts.pdf

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EEA decision shaping on the EU side
European Commission drafts new legislation COM
shall seek advise from the EFTA States and the
EU Member States in the same way Art. 99 EEA
EP and MS discuss EP/Council acts EFTA-EU
exchange of views Art. 99 EEA
Experts discuss delegated acts EFTA
participation Art.100 EEA
MS experts discuss implementing acts EFTA
participation Art. 100 EEA
EU act published in the Official Journal of the
EU Footnote-marking for EEA relevant acts (not
legally binding)
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EU adopts new legislation...
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EEA position taking on the EFTA side

• EFTA Secretariat identifies relevant acts and
  conducts a preliminary assessment. Standard
  sheets sent to experts.
• EFTA experts (Working Groups) discuss
• - EEA relevance
• - Possible need for technical adaptation
• - Possible need for substantial
  adaptations/negotiations
• - Possible need for parliamentary procedures
  (Art. 103 EEA)
• EFTA Secretariat drafts a EEA Joint Committee
  Decision for incorporation of the act(s) into the
  EEA Agreement
• Draft JCD submitted to the EU side (EEAS) after
  approval by the EFTA Subcommittee

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EFTA Subcommittees and Working Groups
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EEA position taking on the EU side
European Commission
Council
EEA EFTA States position
If adaptations or financial contributions are
involved
DIRECTORATE-GENERALS LEGAL SERVICE DG
BUDGET
COUNCIL (Ministers) COREPER (Ambassadors) W
ORKING GROUP ON EFTA MATTERS
European External Action Service (EEAS)
EUs position
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EEA decision-taking
Adopted EEA Joint Committee Decision
Council European External Action Service
(EEAS) Commission
EFTA Standing Committee EFTA Sub-committees EFT
A Working Groups
Draft decision
Constitutional requirements Article 103 EEA
EFTA Surveillance Authority
Entry into force
Adopted EEA relevant EU legislation
Implementation in national law (Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway)
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Are we on time?
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Is there a veto right?

• EEA Article 102 procedures
• What does history tell us?

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Extending EU law

• 9991 EU acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement
• 1 875 at the time of signing (1992)
• 7 119 added by the EEA Joint Committee
• 997 added by simplified procedures
  (veterinary field)
• 4 677 legal acts in force today in the EEA
• 10 962 legal acts in force today in the EU
• Source EFTA Secretariat and EUR-Lex 1.9.2014

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The EEA Agreement on www.efta.int
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(No Transcript)
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More information.
www.efta.int