Over 240 participate in EFTA’s Introductory Seminar on the European Economic Area

“Our EEA EFTA partners are [the European Union’s] closest partners, so we are very interested in this relationship, and the seminar provided us with a good overview of how the EEA works”, said Michael Mareel from the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU. He was attending the EFTA Secretariat’s seminar on the European Economic Area (EEA) held at the EFTA House on 9 March 2023. The biannual seminar provides participants with a comprehensive introduction to the functioning of the EEA and how the three participating states – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – are integrated into the EU’s Internal Market.

The seminar was divided into two parts:

In the morning experts from the EFTA Secretariat, the EEA and Norway Grants, the EFTA Surveillance Authority as well as representatives from the Mission of Norway to the EU and the European Commission held presentations on various topics related to the EEA. The presentations provided the participants with a comprehensive introduction to the EEA Agreement, why surveillance and judicial control are crucial to the enforcement of EEA law, as well as how the EEA and Norway Grants reduce social and economic disparities in the EEA. The morning presentations were also streamed online. Over 90 people attended the seminar in person and 150 online.

In the afternoon, participants chose between four parallel break-out sessions, led by experts from EFTA, ESA and the EFTA Court. This offered participants the opportunity to delve into important EEA topics in a more interactive way.  Workshops took place on the following topics:

• EU Agencies: Implications for the EEA Agreement and how to address them
• EEA Law: Incorporation, scope and application
• EEA Enforcement: Surveillance and Judicial Control – run by ESA and EFTA Court
• Decision Shaping: How EEA EFTA States can influence EU legislation making

Attendees included officials from Ministries, agencies and companies in the four EFTA Member States, delegates from the diplomatic representation in Brussels, staff from the European Commission, academics and students. The next EEA Seminar will take place in September 2023.

Find pictures here

Recordings of the presentations:

Opening remarks by EFTA Secretary General Henri Gétaz 

Presentation on the functioning of the EEA Agreement and  the role of the Secretariat, presented by Marit C. Schage Andria, Director of Internal Market Division, EFTA Secretariat 

Presentation on the introduction to the decision-making process, presented by Finnur Thor Birgisson, Head of Legal Affairs, EFTA Secretariat 

Presentation on the introduction to EEA Enforcement: EFTA Surveillance Authority & EFTA Court, presented by Melpo-Menie Joséphidès, Director of Legal & Executive Affairs, EFTA Surveillance Authority 

Presentation on parliamentarians, social partners and local/regional representation in the EEA, presented by Christophe Zufferey, Senior Officer to the EFTA Parliamentary Committee, EFTA Secretariat 

Presentation 'EEA and Norway Grants reduce disparities & strengthen cooperation in Europe', presented by Borgar Thor Einarsson, Deputy Managing Director, EEA & Norway Grants

View from the EEA EFTA States: EEA in a Changing Europe, presented by Ambassador Per Strand Sjaastad, Deputy Head of Mission of Norway to the EU 

View from the EU: Internal market at 30, presented by Thomas McClenaghan, Senior Expert, Secretariat-General, European Commission 

Closing Remarks by Deputy Secretary-General Siri Veseth Meling

Presentations:

Function of the EEA agreement and the role of the Secretariat

Introduction to the decision-making process

Introduction to EEA Enforcement: EFTA Surveillance Authority & EFTA Court

Parliamentarians, social partners and local/regional representation in the EEA

EEA and Norway Grants reduce disparities & strengthen cooperation in Europe