Statistical cooperation within the framework of the EEA and the Swiss/EU Agreements. The European Statistical System (ESS) comprises the statistical institutes, ministries, agencies and central banks that produce official statistics in EEA Member States, Switzerland and Eurostat - the statistical office of the European Union.
For the EEA EFTA states this statistical cooperation is regulated through the EEA agreement, while for Switzerland there is a bilateral agreement in the field of statistics. These agreements also provide for the provision of seconded national experts to Eurostat.
EFTA States participate regularly in statistical comitology committees and statistical working groups. EFTA States do not have the right to vote, however they can influence the shaping of legislation and statistical programmes at an early stage.