efta seminar on the eea agreement – 4 september 2014 how eu law becomes eea law tore...
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EFTA Seminar on the EEA Agreement – 4 September 2014
How EU law becomes EEA law
Tore GrønningæterSenior Information and Communication OfficerEFTA [email protected]
European integration models
• 1957- The EU model (EEC/EC/EU): supranationality
• 1960- The EFTA model: intergovernmental cooperation
• 1973- The bilateral free trade model
• 1994- The European Economic Area model
• 1999- The Swiss bilaterals model
• 2001- The Schengen model
The challenges of the 1980’s
• End of European economic growth in the 1970’ties• US and Japan dominace in the electronic industry• Numerous physical, technical and fiscal barriers to trade• Failure of the ”old” regulatory approach (harmonization)
The EC response: Single European Act (1987)
• Completing the internal marked by end of 1992• Strengthening of the four freedoms and supporting
policies• Decisions by qualified majority voting
The birth of the EEA
• 1984 - First EFTA-EU Ministerial meeting, Luxembourg
Declaration on a dynamic ”European Economic Space”
• 1989 - Commission President Delors offers the EFTA countries an EEA solution
• 1989 - Fall of the Berlin wall
• 1992 - EEA negotiations finalized (signature)
• 1993 - Swiss no-vote
• 1994 - Entry into force of the EEA
EEA COUNCIL
EEA JOINT
COMMITTEE
EEA JOINT PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEE
EEA CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE
ICELAND LIECHTENSTEIN
NORWAY
EFTA STANDING
COMMITTEE
EFTA SURVEILLANCE
AUTHORITY
EFTA COURT
COMMITTEE OF MPs OF THE
EFTA STATES
EFTA CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE
COUNCIL PRESIDENCY
+ EEAS
EUROPEANEXT. ACTION
SERVICE
THE COMMSSION
THE COURT OF JUSTICE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
The EEAtwo-pillar structure
European Economic Area -extending the EU Internal Market
Four Freedoms • Free movement of goods • Free movement of services• Free movement of capital• Free movement of persons
Horizontal policies• Environment• Social policy• Consumer protection• Statistics• Company law
Common Rules • State Aid• Competition
Cooperation • EU Programmes• EU Agencies
Cohesion• EEA and Norway Grants
The EEA - static and dynamic
Static in scope • Covers the EU internal market (with some exceptions)• No additional areas foreseen to be included
Dynamic in character • Updated continuously by adding new EU legislation
in areas already covered by the Agreement• Ensuring homogeneity with the EEA
The EEA does not cover
• Third country issues (some exceptions)
• Common Trade Policy
• EU Customs Union (towards third countries)
• Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies
• EU Regional Policy
• Economic and Monetary Union
• Justice and Home Affairs
• Common Foreign, Security and Defense Policy
Challenges
• Changes to the EU Treaties
• Abolision of the EU pillars (combining areas)
• EU Agencies with legislative competence
• Extended geographical scope (offshore/maritime)
• Efficient ”take over” of EU legislation (homogeneity)
• EEA EFTA influence on EU decision making
• Making the EEA Agreement known
From EU law to EEA law
http://www.efta.int/media/documents/eea/1113623-How-EU-acts-become-EEA-acts.pdf
European Commission drafts new legislation
COM shall seek advise from the EFTA States and the EU Member States in the same way – Art. 99 EEA
EP and MS discuss
EP/Council acts
EFTA-EU exchange of views – Art. 99 EEA
EU act published in the Official Journal of the EU
Footnote-marking for EEA relevant acts (not legally binding)
EEA decision shaping on the EU side
Expertsdiscuss
delegated acts
EFTA participationArt.100 EEA
MS experts discuss
implementing acts
EFTA participationArt. 100 EEA
EEA position taking on the EFTA side
• EFTA Secretariat identifies relevant acts and conducts a preliminary
assessment. ’Standard sheets’ sent to experts.
• EFTA experts (Working Groups) discuss
- EEA relevance
- Possible need for technical adaptation
- Possible need for substantial adaptations/negotiations
- Possible need for parliamentary procedures (Art. 103 EEA)
• EFTA Secretariat drafts a EEA Joint Committee Decision for
incorporation of the act(s) into the EEA Agreement
• Draft JCD submitted to the EU side (EEAS) after approval by the EFTA
Subcommittee
European External Action Service
(EEAS)
DIRECTORATE-GENERALS
LEGAL SERVICE
DG BUDGET
COUNCIL(Ministers)
COREPER(Ambassadors)
WORKING GROUP ON
EFTA MATTERS
European Commission
Council
If adaptations or financial contributions are involved
EEA EFTA States’ position
EU’s position
EEA position taking on the EU side
EEA decision-taking
EFTA Standing Committee
EFTA Sub-committees
EFTA Working Groups
AdoptedEEA Joint Committee Decision
Council
European External Action Service (EEAS)
CommissionConstitutional requirements
Article 103 EEA
Entry into force
Implementation in national law (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
EFTA Surveillance
Authority
Adopted EEA
relevant EU legislation
Draft decision
Extending EU law …
9991 EU acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement
1 875 at the time of signing (1992)
7 119 added by the EEA Joint Committee
997 added by simplified procedures (veterinary field)
4 677 legal acts in force today in the EEA
10 962 legal acts in force today in the EU
Source: EFTA Secretariat and EUR-Lex 1.9.2014