EEA Joint Committee incorporates 65 acts into EEA Agreement in first meeting of 2025

In the meeting, 38 Joint Committee Decisions were adopted, incorporating 65 legal acts into the EEA Agreement. The list included several important decisions in foodstuffs, veterinary issues and transport.

One notable act incorporated was Directive (EU) 2015/413 on Cross-border Enforcement, which enables the exchange of information on traffic offences to enhance road safety. This will ensure greater accountability for non-resident drivers and promote safer roads across the EEA.

EU Chair Nicolas von Lingen from the Secretariat-General of the European Commission presided over the meeting. Liechtenstein’s Ambassador and EFTA Chair, Pascal Schafhauser, co-chaired the meeting for the first time since taking over from Norway on 1 January.

The EEA EFTA States highlighted two position papers recently submitted to the EU, the first of which concerned EU programme participation. As preparations for the 2028–2034 programming period intensify, the EEA EFTA States recall their right under the EEA Agreement to participate on an equal footing with EU stakeholders. In their Comment, the EEA EFTA States request full access to strategic discussions on future programmes, clearer distinctions between the EEA EFTA States and countries with other association arrangements, and sufficient predictability to make informed decisions about programme participation.

In their second Comment, the EEA EFTA States call for a systematic impact assessment of the revised Measuring Instruments Directive (MID) to safeguard competition, security and the green transition. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway support the EU’s efforts to modernise the MID to reflect technological advancements, but caution against overregulation.

The two sides also exchanged on the Niinistö report, which sets out the need to “crisis-proof” the Single Market and recommendations for policies and initiatives that will impact the EEA cooperation. 

The EEA Joint Committee is responsible for the management of the EEA Agreement, and is a forum in which views are exchanged and decisions taken by consensus to incorporate EU legislation into the EEA Agreement. The Committee comprises the Ambassadors of the EEA EFTA States and representatives of the Secretariat-General of the European Commission.  

The next EEA Joint Committee meeting will take place on 14 March 2025. 

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