EFTA social partners highlight importance of EEA cooperation amidst geopolitical turbulence

The highlight of the meetings was the annual exchange with the Standing Committee of the EFTA States – a crucial platform for the social partners to discuss EEA-relevant issues with the EEA EFTA Ambassadors to the EU. During this meeting, participants focused on the impact of transatlantic trade relations and possible responses by the EEA EFTA States to mitigate disruptions in critical supply chains within the EEA. They also examined key EU initiatives aimed at enhancing competitiveness and economic security, and the possible implications of these initiatives for the EEA Agreement. Finally, the conversation covered the EU’s cross-sectoral approach to policymaking and its significance for EEA cooperation.

“The annual meeting with the EEA EFTA Ambassadors is an important opportunity for dialogue between the EFTA social partners and the Standing Committee. We agreed that in these times of geopolitical turbulence, the EEA Agreement remains the bedrock of our close cooperation with the EU,” said Halldór Oddsson, Chair of the EFTA Consultative Committee.

On the first day of meetings, the EFTA social partners familiarised themselves with key EU initiatives of relevance to the EEA, such as the Omnibus package and the recently adopted Union of Skills initiative. They also held an extended session on the Clean Industrial Deal, including a presentation from Maurits Pino from the European Commission Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), followed by comments from Agata Zalewska, BusinessEurope, and Ben Lennon, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

On the second day of meetings, the committee members met with their EU counterparts – the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) – in the EEA Consultative Committee, with the Swiss social partners participating as observers. Discussions focused on EU-Swiss relations, on the future of European defence, on combating disinformation and on the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. 

See high-resolution photos from the meeting here.