See more photos from the EEA Seminar at the end of the article.
Asdis Olafsdottir
Head of Information and Communication
180 people attend flagship EEA Seminar at EFTA House
“The EEA cooperation is unique. And the EEA Agreement is of utmost importance. Not only for the three EEA EFTA States – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – but also for the European Union.”
On 18 September 2024, EFTA’s recently appointed Deputy Secretary-General in Brussels, Knut Hermansen, welcomed participants to the Seminar on the European Economic Area (EEA).
A record-breaking number of 180 people attended the seminar in person at EFTA House in Brussels.
Experts from the EFTA Secretariat, EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA), EFTA Court and EEA and Norway Grants delivered presentations on how the EEA Agreement is implemented and the many aspects of this work.
2024 marks the year of European elections and a leadership change in the European Union. Therefore, this edition of the EEA Seminar delved into how the EEA Agreement translates from framework to function while Brussels undergoes significant changes, all against the backdrop of the 30th anniversary of the EEA.
The first half of the morning session was themed “From Framework to Function: Understanding the EEA Agreement in Action”, while the second half focused on “Brussels in Transition: Prevising the EU’s Next Chapter” .
This included a special keynote address from Politico Reporter Camille Gijs on “New Powers, New Direction: Understanding Brussels’ Next Steps”, while EFTA Officer Elísabet Ólafsdottir took the audience through “The EEA at 30 Years: Dynamic Agreement in a Changing Europe”.
"We have quite a positive case to make to our counterparts on the EU side: The EEA EFTA States have worked very closely with the EU for 30 years. We have been able to solve pressing issues and challenges – such as decarbonisation and the COVID-19 pandemic – together. We have always managed to find constructive solutions when faced with obstacles, which is a testament to our dynamic relations", said Ambassador Anders H. Eide, Mission of Norway to the EU, Chair of the Standing Committee of the EFTA States, in his closing remarks.
After lunch, participants at EFTA House were able to choose between four breakout sessions running in parallel throughout the afternoon. Experts from EFTA, NORCORE (the Norwegian Contact Office for Research, Innovation and Education) and Rannís (the Icelandic Centre for Research) led the specialised sessions, enabling participants to delve into important EEA topics in a more interactive way. The sessions focused on the day’s two themes, “From Framework to Function” and “Brussels in Transition”, and included the following:
From Framework to Function: How EU law becomes EEA law
From Framework to Function: A deep dive into the two-pillar system (advanced session)
Brussels in Transition: Preparing for new EU leadership
Brussels in Transition: The EEA EFTA States and the EU Programmes
The EFTA Secretariat would like to thank the speakers and panellists for contributing to the programme, and all of the participants for their engagement and fruitful discussions.
The next EEA Seminar will take place at EFTA House and online on 12 March 2025.
Seminar material:
Unveiling the Magic Behind the EEA Agreement - Marit Schage Andria, Director of Internal Market Division, EFTA Secretariat
The Role of Parliamentarians, Social Partners and Regional Authorities - Christophe Zufferey, Senior Officer, EFTA Secretariat
From EU Law to EEA Law - Karoline Lumholdt Mathisen, Head of ECD Legal, EFTA Secretariat
EEA Enforcement: EFTA Surveillance Authority and EFTA Court - Sigrún Ingibjörg Gísladóttir, Deputy Director of Legal & Executive Affairs, ESA Kristján Jónsson, Legal Secretary, EFTA Court
The EEA at 30 Years: Dynamic Agreement in a Changing Europe - Elísabet Ólafsdottir, Officer, EFTA Secretariat
How the EEA EFTA States can Influence EU Law Making - Trond Helge Bårdsen, Senior Officer, EFTA Secretariat
EEA and Norway Grants Reducing Disparities and Strengthening Cooperation in Europe - Borgar Thor Einarsson, Deputy Managing Director, EEA and Norway Grants
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