Advisory bodies debate with EEA EFTA Ministers
On 22 November 2010, a second joint meeting between the Standing Committee of the EFTA States at ministerial level, the Committee of Members of Parliament of the EFTA States (MPS) and the EFTA Consultative Committee, was held in the EFTA Secretariat in Brussels. The foreign ministers had a short briefing after which a lively debate followed. Members of the Committees posed numerous questions to the ministerial side on issues ranging from Europe 2020 to protectionism.
The meeting was chaired by the Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Össur Skarphéðinsson, and co-chaired by Mr Árni Þór Sigurðarsson, Chair of the MPS and Mr Josef Beck, acting Chair of the Consultative Committee. The meeting was attended by Mr Jonas Gahr Støre, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Norway, Mr Kurt Jäger, Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the EU representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein, Dr Aurelia Frick, and members of the two Committees.
The meeting was the second of its kind, held back-to-back with the EEA Council meeting, with the aim of informing EFTA's advisory bodies of the Council meeting and the main issues being dealt with in the EEA. Minister Skarphéðinsson informed the Committees in some detail of the morning's discussion, both on the EEA in general and on the orientation debate on energy matters. He further gave the Committees an insight into the issues discussed in the political dialogue, namely Russia, China and the situation in the Middle East.
"The dialogue we have with your two Committees constitutes an important element of the EEA cooperation. This is the second time we meet in this constellation and I am looking forward to a fruitful exchange of views" said Skarphéðinsson.
After the briefings of the ministers a lively debate followed in which the Committees' members posed numerous questions to the ministerial side on issues ranging from Europe 2020, social aspects of the austerity measures taken by governments in the EU, protectionism, energy efficiency and the European External Action Service to participation in informal ministerial meetings.
Details
Related Category
EFTA Consultative Committee
Related Section
Advisory Bodies