• Workshop on Standardisation and Environmental Policies - 29 June 2010   02.07.2010

    On 29 June, the EFTA Secretariat hosted a workshop on the role of standardisation as a tool for environmental policies and objectives, organised together with the European Environmental Citizens Organisation for Standardisation (ECOS). The workshop was a contribution to the follow up discussions on the EXPRESS Report which raised the question of how standards can deliver an effective and coordinated response to environmental challenges.

  • Standing and Joint Committee meetings – 1 July 2010   02.07.2010

    The Standing and Joint Committees met on 1 July 2010.

  • EEA EFTA Comment on the consultation on the EU's strategic choices for the implementation of the new EU competence in the field of Sport   21.06.2010

    Until recently, the EU had no competence in the area of sport. However, since the Lisbon Treaty has introduced a new EU competence in the field of sport, the Commission has launched a consultation on the EU's strategic choices for the implementation of the new EU competence in the field of sport.

  • CEN CENELEC General Assembly 1 and 3 June   15.06.2010
    CEN-LEC logo

    The European Free Trade Association, represented by Tore Nyvold Thomassen, addressed the General Assembly of the European standardisation organisations CEN and CENELEC on 1 and 3 June 2010 in Malta.

  • Standing and Joint Committee meetings – 10 and 11 June 2010   11.06.2010

    The Standing and Joint Committees met on 10 and 11 June 2010, adopting 22 decisions incorporating 53 legal acts.

  • Highlights from the meeting of Subcommittees I-IV   03.06.2010

    On 27 May 2010, Subcommittees I-IV held their third meeting of the year (April’s meeting having been cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano). Continuing to take advantage of the subcommittees’ merger, various horizontal issues concerning comitology, the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) and upcoming two-pillar issues were vividly discussed.

  • EFTA Seminar on the EEA and Bilateral Trade Agreements   01.06.2010
    EEA Seminar

    Participants from the public and private sectors met at the Secretariat in Brussels on 27 and 28 May 2010 for the biannual EFTA Seminar on the EEA.

  • 33rd meeting of the EEA Council - Brussels 10 May 2010   10.05.2010

    The EEA Council met this morning for its 33rd meeting. The Council discussed the overall functioning of the EEA Agreement, with special focus on to how to manage the challenges of the financial crisis. Ministers agreed on the importance of strengthening the regulatory framework, stressing the importance of adequate participation by national authorities of the EEA EFTA States in the new supervisory structure, on an equal footing with the EU countries.

  • Food Law Package and Services Directive: Formal extension to EEA on 1 May   30.04.2010

    On 17 March 2010, Iceland notified the fulfilment of constitutional requirements concerning the EEA Joint Committee Decisions (JCDs) on the Food Law Package. Two weeks later the notification concerning the Services Directive followed. As the necessary parliamentary procedures had already been completed in the other EEA EFTA Member States, the JCDs formally enter into force on 1 May 2010, thus extending the relevant EU legislation to the EEA area.

  • Standing and Joint Committee meetings - 29 and 30 April 2010   30.04.2010
    EEA Joint Committee

    The EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee met on 29 and 30 April 2010 respectively. In the Standing Committee, the Liechtenstein Chair confirmed that the Services Directive will enter into force in the EEA EFTA States on 1 May 2010.