Highlights from the Subcommittee I-IV meeting in Iceland

Published 29-09-2011
The Subcommittees noted that the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Preferential Rules of Origin has been opened for signature, and that national ratification by the EFTA Member States is expected to be completed by early 2012.

The Subcommittees also noted the new regime of delegated and implementing acts replacing Comitology after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the Secretariat reported that a Commission representative recently provided experts with training on this important matter in Iceland and Norway. The delegates were pleased to note that the basis for continued EEA EFTA participation under the new structure is ensured.

The Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 was presented, and the participants agreed that, given the timeline for the new EU Programmes, and although this is at an early stage, efforts should be made on the EEA EFTA side to incorporate the Decisions regarding these Programmes into the EEA Agreement before the deadline of 10 July 2014.

The Secretariat also provided an update on the status of the actions agreed following the review of the Working and Expert Groups under Subcommittees I-IV.

On the issue of EEA participation in the Research Executive Agency (REA) and the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA), delegates were pleased to note that, as a result of long discussions with the Commission and the Agencies concerned, recruitment to these agencies will in the future be open to nationals from the EEA-EFTA States.

Among the acts currently under consideration on the EEA EFTA side, the delegates discussed the third legislative package for the internal energy market and the paediatric regulation. The revised Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and related acts were also discussed in the meeting along with other issues such as the European Earth Monitoring Programme (GMES), the Community framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium, the new Financial Supervisory Architecture, the Goods Package and the Regulation concerning Novel food and GM food and feed.

Subcommittees I-II-III-IV will meet again on Tuesday 18 October 2011 in Brussels.

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