The EEA Agreement 20 Years on

 

logoThe European Community's plan to complete the Internal Market by removing all barriers to the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons inspired seven Member States of the European Free Trade Association to join forces with the EC to work towards this common goal.

On 2 May 1992, after more than two years of negotiations, the Agreement on the European Economic Area was signed in Porto, Portugal, by the European Community and its 12 Member States, together with the EFTA States.

The EEA is a dynamic and unique integration agreement, which today brings together 30 states in a single market which is constantly evolving. The EEA Agreement has served both the EU and the EFTA States well and has proven to be a durable instrument of economic integration.

Picture gallery - 1992

News Releases

Thirty-seventh meeting of the EEA Council in Brussels
14.05.2012
EEA Council 14 May 2012

The thirty-seventh meeting of the EEA Council took place in Brussels on 14 May 2012. The EEA Council assessed the overall functioning of the EEA Agreement, including maintaining and enhancing the homogeneity of the EEA; the financial crisis and its implications for EEA cooperation; decision making and shaping; energy and climate change and the operation of the financial mechanisms. The EEA Council held an orientation debate on Strategies for Growth in Europe.

EFTA and Canada to explore expansion of free trade agreement
11.05.2012
Canada flag
Delegations from the EFTA States and Canada convened on 9 May 2012 in Ottawa for the 2nd Joint Committee meeting under the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides.
Parliamentarians seek more predictability in the EEA
07.05.2012
Pat the Cope Gallagher, President and Harry Quaderer, Vice-President, Joint Parliamentary Committee
Members of the European Parliament and Parliamentarians from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway met in Akureyri, Iceland, 3-4 May 2012, at the 38th meeting of the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee (EEA JPC).
Social partners adopt resolutions on the EEA Review and the Enterprise Dimension of the Single Market
07.05.2012
Hof Conference Center, Akureyri where the EEA Consultative Committee meeting took place - 4 May 2012

Members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and social partners from Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein met in Akureyri, Iceland on 3-4 May 2012 for the 20th meeting of the EEA Consultative Committee (EEA CC).

EFTA and Egypt hold second Joint Committee meeting
07.05.2012

Delegations from the EFTA States and Egypt convened in Cairo on 3 May 2012 to address issues of implementation of their free trade agreement.

More news

Publications

This is EFTA 2012
This is EFTA 2012

This publication is an overview of EFTA's activities and institutional framework.

Annual Report 2011
Annual Report 2011

51st Annual Report of the European Free Trade Association, 2011. The report is only avaliable in electronic form.

EFTA at a glance
EFTA at a Glance

This two-page factsheet gives a general overview of the role and tasks of the European Free Trade Association. Several other factsheets can also be downloaded from our website.

EFTA Bulletin 1/2011
EFTA/EU Statistical Cooperation Handbook

EFTA Bulletin issue 1, 2011. The purpose of the updated handbook is to describe the institutional and practical aspects of EFTA statistical cooperation within and outside the EEA Agreement and the Swiss-EU Agreement.

Guide to EU & EEA Programmes - New and Updated Edition 2010

EFTA Bulletin issue 1, 2010.

This publication is an updated overview of EU programmes with EEA EFTA participation.

50th Anniversary of EFTA 1960-2010

In 2010, the European Free Trade Association celebrated its 50th anniversary. The EFTA Convention entered into force on 3 May 1960. You can read more about the publication and order it here.

EEA 15th Anniversary
European Economic Area 1994-2009

This commemorative publi­cation revisits the origins of the European Economic Area (EEA) and reproduces extracts of some of the key official texts and documents from the time of its inception, supplemented by pictures from its first 15 years of functioning.

More publications
EFTA Surveillance Authority EFTA Court eea grants
 

Biannual Seminar on the EEA: Brussels, 13 and 14 September 2012

EFTA’s two day EEA seminar will be held on 13 and 14 September 2012 at the EFTA Secretariat in Brussels.

The aim of the seminar is to provide professionals in both the public and private sectors with an overview of the EEA Agreement and how it works in practice.

The first day will focus on the roles and functions of the EEA EFTA institutions, with presentations on the EFTA Secretariat, the EFTA Surveillance Authority, the EFTA Court, the EEA and Norway Grants and the EFTA Statistical Office.

The second (half) day of the seminar will be dedicated to the evolution of the Single Market and the 20th anniversary of the EEA Agreement.

Save the date! Online registration and a first draft of the programme will follow.

For more information regarding this event, please contact: 

Anders Kjellevold 
E-mail: akj@efta.int
Phone: +32 2 286 17 72