The Austrian MEP, Paul Rübig, the EEA JPC’s Special Rapporteur on Energy policies, introduced the item and other high-level speakers included Mr Ole Morten Geving, State Secretary from the Norwegian Ministry of Finance, and Mr Geir Westgaard, Vice-President in StatoilHydro and Head of EU Affairs. The debate, which lasted over two hours, was a culmination of the Committee’s continued interest in the matters of Energy and manifested the strong interest for a continued rich cooperation between EU and the EEA EFTA States in this field, especially now during the challenges of the global financial crisis.

Another additional item on the Committee’s agenda was the discussion on Trade in Seal products, which was initiated by the Norwegian delegation to the EEA JPC. During this debate the Norwegian MP Steinar Gullvåg explained the Norwegian position towards proposals on banning trade in seal products and highlighted the repercussions this could have. The Liberal MEP Diana Wallis, who recently submitted a report on the topic to the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Affairs Committee, explained the current political debate regarding this issue and elaborated on the possible outcome.

 
EFTA delegation and EEA EFTA parliamentarians at the meeting in Strasbourg.