EEA Joint Committee adopts 60 decisions and 81 legal acts

Clockwise from top left: Chair Sabine Monauni, Head of Liechtenstein's Mission to the EU, Clara Ganslandt, Head of Western Division at the EEAS and EU Chair in the Joint Committee, Per Strand Sjaastad, Deputy Head of Norway's Mission to the EU, and Kristján Andri Stefánsson, Head of Iceland's Mission to the EU.

On 11 December, the EEA Joint Committee met through videoconference to adopt 60 Joint Committee Decisions (JCDs) incorporating 81 legal acts. A JCD regarding triangulation of Social Security Coordination was adopted into the EEA Agreement. Four JCDs incorporating the electricity network codes and guidelines were also adopted as was the JCD on the Animal Health Law Regulation. The long list also includes three COVID-19 measures.

Chair Sabine Monauni welcomed the progress in the effort to reduce the backlog, which went down from 577 to 506 acts outstanding. Nevertheless, she mentioned that “the EEA EFTA States remain concerned that this number is still high. Let me on behalf of the EEA EFTA States, thank you and your services for your tremendous efforts which allow us to adopt today three times as many JCDs compared to our recent meetings.”

The adopted decision regarding triangulation of Social Security Coordination “is an important step to ensure social security rights for EEA and UK nationals in cross-border situations, also after the end of the UK’s transition period” said Ambassador Monauni.

On the JCDs incorporating network codes and guidelines, the delegates agreed that these will ensure a homogenous legal basis for trade in electricity between the EEA EFTA States and EU countries as they define rules to facilitate trade in electricity on the EU internal energy market.

The EEA Joint Committee then incorporated the JCD on Animal Health Law Regulation. Implementing the Regulation (EU) 2016/429 will strengthen health and safety standards for animals and animal products across the EEA. “The timely incorporation of this act is the result of good cooperation between the EEA EFTA States and the EU” said Ambassador Monauni.

Last but not least, COVID-related JCDs were also adopted during the meeting, two in the field of transport and one on the production of organic products. The EEA Joint Committee also welcomed the announcement of possible vaccines across the EEA. “The recent developments regarding vaccines are good news. The EEA EFTA States appreciate the close cooperation with the EU to secure access to vaccines throughout the EEA”, Chair Monauni said.

The EEA EFTA Joint Committee also had a discussion on the EEA EFTA Comment on the European Strategy for Sustainable and Smart mobility submitted to the EU on 4 December.

Provisional texts of Joint Committee Decisions in 2020

List of adopted Joint Committee Decisions (JCDs)