From left to right: Deputy Ambassador Nuscha Wieczorek (Liechtenstein), Ambassador Pascal Schafhauser (Liechtenstein), Deputy Head of the Mission to the EU Finnur Þór Birgisson (Iceland), Head of Mission to the EU Kristján Andri Stefánsson (Iceland), Secretary-General Kurt Jäger (EFTA), Counsellor Jannicke Witsø (Norway), Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission Jørn Gloslie (Norway) and Counsellor for Finance Frode Kristiansen (Norway)
On 11 July, the EEA Joint Committee adopted 20 decisions, incorporating 55 legal acts into the EEA Agreement, including three important Joint Committee Decisions in the field of energy.
The EEA EFTA States presented a recent Comment on the Omnibus proposals and simplification agenda, and the two sides exchanged views on the European Commission’s new Import Surveillance Task Force.
Marking the first meeting under the Icelandic Chair of the EFTA Standing and EEA Joint Committee, Ambassador Kristján Andri Stefánsson opened the session by thanking the outgoing chairs – Liechtenstein and the EU – for their dedicated efforts in steering the committees over the past six months.
The Icelandic Chair highlighted that among the 55 acts being incorporated in the meeting, 20 acts were in the field of energy. This included several long-outstanding acts, such as Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency (EED), Directive 2018/2002 amending the EED, Directive 2018/2001 on renewable energy (RED), and Directive 2018/844, amending the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and EED. The Chair thanked the EEA EFTA States and the EU for the good cooperation and joint efforts in reaching this positive development in the field of energy.
The two sides also discussed the EEA EFTA Comment on the Omnibus proposals, which was submitted to the EU on 9 July. In the joint position paper, the EEA EFTA States highlighted their support for the EU’s simplification agenda and its ambition to simplify rules and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
“While we broadly support the Omnibus proposals presented so far, we also want to underline the importance of ensuring that the simplification agenda does not undermine key targets and objectives related to climate, environment and social rights,” emphasised Ambassador Stefánsson.
The Commission briefed on the Import Surveillance Task Force, which has been set up to protect EU markets and industries against the indirect effects of trade diversion. Through statistical analysis, its new surveillance tool monitors all imports to the EU and detects products that have seen a potentially harmful surge in imports.
“The EEA EFTA States are an integral part of Internal Market value chains, and we hope for a close dialogue on any potential trade measures as they can affect our equal and full participation in the Internal Market,” underlined the Icelandic Chair on behalf of the EEA EFTA States.
The next EEA Joint Committee meeting will be held at EFTA House on 19 September 2025.
