• EEA EFTA States comment on capital requirements   13.01.2012

    Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway support the trans­position of the Basel III minimum capital require­ments into EU legislation. However, they believe that each EEA Member State must retain the necessary competence to set higher capital requirements where it is appropriate, based on financial stability considerations.

  • Rules incorporated on the safety of air travel   20.12.2011

    Yesterday, the EEA Joint Committee decided to incor­porate three regulations to ensure a high level of safety in the European civil aviation sector.

  • Directive on the promotion of renewable energy incorporated   20.12.2011

    The EEA Joint Committee decided yesterday to incor­porate the Directive on the promotion of the use of renewable energy sources (RES Directive) into the EEA Agreement. Norway and Iceland have had the highest share of renewable energy in their power consumption in the European Economic Area (EEA).

  • EEA EFTA States comment on proposed directive on orphan works   13.12.2011

    Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway welcome the overall aim to facilitate the online accessibility of European cultural content and the preservation of digital material. Their opinion is expressed in a recent comment to the European Commission’s proposal for a direct­ive on certain permitted uses of orphan works.

  • Exchanging views on Common European Sales Law   08.12.2011
    Working Group on Consumer Affairs and Vice President of the European Parliament, Diana Wallis

    The EFTA Working Group on Consumer Affairs met on 5 and 6 December 2011. One of the main points on the agenda was the Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on a Common European Sales Law (CESL) which was put forward by the Commission on 11 October 2011.

  • High-speed mobile service directive extended to the EEA   02.12.2011

    The EEA Joint Committee decided on 1 December 2011 to incorporate a European directive concerning frequen­cy bands for third-generation (3G) mobile networks into the EEA Agreement. The directive brings the current GSM directive from 1987 up to date and also prepares for future 4G networks.

  • EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committees met on 1 December 2011   02.12.2011
    Ambassador Kurt Jäger, Liechtenstein, chairing the EEA Joint Committee meeting

    The EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee met in Brussels on 1 December. Liechtenstein was Chair both of the Standing Committee and, on behalf of the EEA EFTA States, of the Joint Committee.

  • Highlights from Subcommittees I-IV meeting and Joint Subcommittees I-IV meeting on 28 November 2011   29.11.2011
    EU Chair, Mr Gianluca Grippa, and EEA EFTA Chair, Mr Per Strand Sjaastad

    The 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, and the revised Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) along with related acts. The Third Legislative Energy Package, the Community Legal Framework for a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), the Paediatric Regulation and the Goods Package were also topics of discussion.

  • Thirty-sixth meeting of the EEA Council in Brussels   15.11.2011
    From left to right: H.E. Kurt Jäger, Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the EU; Ms Aurelia Frick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liechtenstein.

    The thirty-sixth meeting of the EEA Council took place in Brussels on 15 November 2011. At its meeting, the EEA Council assessed the overall functioning of the EEA Agreement, including maintaining and enhancing the homogeneity of the EEA; decision making and shaping; energy and climate change; the financial mechanisms; and the financial crisis and its implications for EEA cooperation, including regulation of the financial system. The EEA Council held an orientation debate on measures taken to address the current economic crisis.

  • EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committees met on 20 and 21 October 2011   21.10.2011

    The EFTA Standing Com­mittee and EEA Joint Com­mittee met in Brussels on 20 and 21 October respectively. Liechtenstein was Chair both of the Standing Committee and, on behalf of the EEA EFTA States, of the Joint Committee.