A full house at the EEA Seminar, EFTA’s flagship event in Brussels

“A lot is happening in Europe at the moment – the critical question is, are we acting fast enough?” reflected Ambassador Anders H. Eide, the Norwegian Chair of the EFTA Standing Committee, when asked about his vision for the future of the European Economic Area.

Eide highlighted that the situation in Europe today is serious. Security, defence and resilience are clear focus areas, which means strengthening defence readiness and competitiveness across the EEA. He said that Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein agreed with many of the strong proposals coming from the EU, such as delivering on the simplification agenda, closing the innovation gap and addressing the digital and green transitions as a response to the changing geopolitical reality.

Experts from the EFTA institutions, the European Commission and the European Policy Centre joined the Standing Committee Chair in providing an overview of how the EEA Agreement works and the different roles of the various institutions in this partnership. 

The morning session covered two main themes: how the EEA Agreement is implemented from framework to function, and how the EEA is evolving through a dynamic partnership in times of change. Participants also received a timely update on Switzerland’s recently signed package of agreements  with the EU.

In the afternoon, in-person attendees had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions that delved deeper into specific EEA topics, such as how EU law becomes EEA law, how the EEA Agreement is enforced, and how the EEA EFTA States interact with the EU institutions. 

The EEA Seminar is a biannual event that takes place in spring and in autumn. Sign up here to be notified when registration opens for the next EEA Seminar.

Missed this edition? Access the EEA Seminar materials below. 

Photos 

Presentations and recordings

Presentation - Strong foundation, shared solutions: The EEA in a changing global landscape by Marit C. Schage Andria, Director of Internal Market Division, EFTA Secretariat

Recording 

Presentation - From EU law to EEA law by Karoline Lumholdt Mathisen, Head of EEA Legal Coordination, EFTA Secretariat

Recording

The view from the EU by Matúš Minárik, EEA Policy Coordinator, Secretariat-General, European Commission

Recording

Presentation - EEA enforcement: EFTA Surveillance Authority and EFTA Court by Melpo Joséphidès, Director of Legal & Executive Affairs, ESA, and Ólafur Einarsson, Registrar, EFTA Court

Recording

Presentation - Update on the Switzerland–EU package of bilateral agreements Conradin Rasi, Deputy Head of the Mission of Switzerland to the EU

Recording

The path to a more competitive and resilient EEA: Scene setter - Georg Riekeles, Head of Europe's Political Economy Programme, European Policy Centre

Recording 

The path to a more competitive and resilient EEA: Fireside chat with Ambassador Anders H. Eide, Chair of the EFTA Standing Committee

Recording 

Presentation - How the EEA EFTA States can influence EU law making - An introduction by Trond Helge Bardsen, Senior Officer, EFTA Secretariat

Recording

Presentation - The role of parliamentarians, social partners and regional authorities in the EEA by Jacqueline Breidlid, Officer, EFTA Secretariat

Recording

Presentation - EEA and Norway Grants reduce disparities and strengthen cooperation in Europe by Borgar Thór Einarsson, Deputy Managing Director, EEA and Norway Grants

Recording