EFTA Seminar on the EEA Agreement – 4 September 2014
How EU law becomes EEA law
Tore Grønningæter
Senior Information and Communication Officer
EFTA Secretariat
tgr@efta.int
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
The challenges of the 1980’s
•
•
•
•
End of European economic growth in the 1970’ties
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
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
ICELAND
LIECHTENSTEIN
NORWAY
EEA
COUNCIL
COUNCIL
PRESIDENCY
+ EEAS
EFTA
STANDING
COMMITTEE
EEA
JOINT
COMMITTEE
EUROPEAN
EXT. ACTION
SERVICE
EFTA
SURVEILLANCE
AUTHORITY
EFTA
COURT
The EEA
two-pillar
structure
COMMITTEE OF
MPs OF THE
EFTA STATES
EEA JOINT
PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEE
EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT
EFTA
CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE
EEA
CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE
ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE
THE COMMSSION
THE COURT
OF JUSTICE
European Economic Area extending the EU Internal Market
Four Freedoms
Common Rules
•
•
•
•
• State Aid
• Competition
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
Cooperation
• EU Programmes
• EU Agencies
Cohesion
• EEA and Norway Grants
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
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
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
From EU law to EEA law
http://www.efta.int/media/documents/eea/1113623-How-EU-acts-become-EEA-acts.pdf
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
Experts
discuss
delegated acts
MS experts
discuss
implementing acts
EFTA-EU exchange
of views – Art. 99 EEA
EFTA participation
Art.100 EEA
EFTA participation
Art. 100 EEA
EU act published in the Official Journal of the EU
Footnote-marking for EEA relevant acts (not legally binding)
EU adopts new legislation...
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
EFTA Subcommittees and Working Groups
EEA position taking on the EU side
European
Commission
EEA EFTA States’
position
DIRECTORATEGENERALS
LEGAL
SERVICE
European External
Action Service
(EEAS)
Council
If adaptations or financial
contributions are involved
COUNCIL
(Ministers)
COREPER
(Ambassadors)
WORKING GROUP
ON
EFTA MATTERS
DG BUDGET
EU’s position
EEA decision-taking
EFTA Standing
Committee
EFTA Subcommittees
EFTA Working
Groups
Adopted
EEA Joint
Committee
Decision
Draft decision
Constitutional
requirements
Article 103 EEA
Entry into force
Adopted
EEA
relevant EU
legislation
Council
European
External Action
Service (EEAS)
Commission
EFTA
Surveillance
Authority
Implementation in national law
(Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Are we on time?
Is there a veto right?
• EEA Article 102 procedures
• What does history tell us?
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
The EEA Agreement on www.efta.int
More information….
www.efta.int