EFTA social partners discuss EEA reviews

Professor Karen Helene Ulltveit-Moe from the University of Oslo and former member of the Norwegian Review Committee presented the key findings from the Norwegian EEA Review with particular focus on the economy, business policy and the labour market. The EFTA CC is in the process of preparing a resolution on the EEA reviews, which will be adopted at the meeting of the EEA Consultative Committee in May 2012. The aim is to contribute to the ongoing review processes in Norway, Liechtenstein and the EU.

The EEA reviews were also one of the main topics of the EFTA social partners’ annual meeting with the EFTA Ambassadors. In addition, they focused on the latest developments in the EEA and the bilateral relations between each EFTA State and the EU, including the status of Iceland’s EU accession negotiations and Switzerland’s relations with the EU.

For the first time, the Schengen Agreement was on the EFTA CC’s agenda. All EFTA States are now part of the Agreement since Liechtenstein joined in December 2011. Representatives from the four EFTA missions in Brussels briefed the EFTA social partners on recent developments and possible challenges in this cooperation.

The EFTA social partners also exchanged views with representatives of the EFTA Working Group on Free Movement of Persons, Work Life and Social Inclusion, on topics such as the ongoing negotiations on the Working Time Directive in the EU Social Dialogue and the implementation of the Temporary Agency Work Directive. Social partners from Iceland and Norway are directly involved in the negotiations on a revision of the existing Working Time Directive, which is a unique opportunity to influence EU legislation.