• Parliamentarians seek more predictability in the EEA   07.05.2012
    Pat the Cope Gallagher, President and Harry Quaderer, Vice-President, Joint Parliamentary Committee

    Members of the European Parliament and Parliamentarians from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway met in Akureyri, Iceland, 3-4 May 2012, at the 38th meeting of the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee (EEA JPC).

  • Protecting critical infrastructure   30.04.2012

    One of the EU legal acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement on 30 April 2012 establishes a procedure for the identification and designation of European critical infrastructure, such as airports, subways, railway stations and power plants. The European Critical Infrastructure Directive also deals with the need to improve the safeguarding of such infrastructure in order to protect people better.

  • EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committees met on 30 April 2012   30.04.2012
    Meeting of the Standing Committee of the EFTA States on 30 April 2012

    The EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee met in Brussels on 30 April. Iceland chaired the Standing Committee and represented the EEA EFTA States in the Joint Committee under the chairmanship of the European External Action Service.

  • EEA decisions on maritime safety and airport charges   30.03.2012

    Among the numerous legal acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement on 30 March 2012 were a part of the EU’s Third Maritime Safety Package and an EU directive dealing with airport charges.

  • EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committees meet on 29 and 30 March 2012   30.03.2012
    Ambassador Thorir Ibsen, Mission of Iceland to the EU

    The EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee met in Brussels on 29 and 30 March, respectively. Iceland chaired the Standing Committee and represented the EEA EFTA States in the Joint Committee under the chairmanship of the European External Action Service.

  • Highlights from Subcommittees I-IV and Joint Subcommittees I-IV meetings on 27 March 2012   28.03.2012
    Head of Division Gianluca Grippa, EEAS (Chair), and Deputy Director-General Per Sjaastad, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EEA EFTA Chair)

    At their second meeting in 2012, the Subcommittee I-IV delegations discussed legis­lative acts currently under consideration by the EFTA side, including the Regulations establishing the three Financial Supervisory Authorities and the European Systemic Risk Board, the Telecom Package and the revised Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The Third Legislative Energy Package, the Paediatric Regulation, the Directive on simplifying terms and conditions of transfers of defence-related products within the community and the Community Legal Framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) were also topics of discussion.

  • EEA-EFTA Comment on the Internal Market Information System ("IMI")   19.03.2012

    The Internal Market Information System (IMI) was created to develop administrative cooperation between the Member States, in order to ensure better governance in the Internal Market. The EEA EFTA States have participated successfully in IMI since its beginning. The system was created to support the revised Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive and, since December 2009, Member States have used IMI to fulfil their information exchange obligations under the Services Directive.

  • EEA EFTA States comment on education and research proposals   22.02.2012

    The EEA EFTA States have published two comments on the European Commission’s proposals for the education and research programmes Erasmus for All and Horizon 2020. The EEA EFTA States welcome the overall aim of the proposals but also make several suggestions for improvements.

  • Framework Directive on Motor Vehicles incorporated   10.02.2012

    The EEA EFTA States have decided to incorporate a European Framework Direct­ive on Motor Vehicles aimed at improving the functioning of the Internal Market by simplifying the type-approval procedures and, at the same time, increasing the level of safety and environ­mental protection of motor vehicles. Three related regulations are also incorpo­rated into the EEA Agreement.

  • EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committees meet on 9 and 10 February 2012   10.02.2012
    Ambassador Thorir Ibsen (centre), The Icelandic Mission to the EU, chairing the meeting of the EFTA Standing Committee, with Deputy Head of the Icelandic Mission, Nikulas Hannigan (right), and Secretary-General of the EFTA Secretariat, Kåre Bryn (left).

    The EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee met in Brussels on 9 and 10 February, respectively. Iceland chaired the Standing Committee and represented the EEA EFTA States in the Joint Committee under the chairmanship of the European External Action Service.