2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 1

EFTA BULLETIN DECISION SHAPING IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA

1-2009 MARCH 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 2

Decision shaping in the European Economic Area

• Project leader: Marius Vahl

• Contributors: Sverre Åril Magne Hareide Andri Luthersson Håkon Riegels Nadja Rossettini Margrethe Saxegaard Linda Björk Sigur ardóttir Tore N. Thomassen Lars Varden Anne Camilla Hilton

• Copy Editing: J.W. Wójtowicz

• Production: Elin Bjerkebo Tatjana Guggisberg

• Cover: © Olga Lyubkina

• Printed by Drifosett, Brussels Layout by Orangemetalic

• Printed March 2009

Cover picture: Zen garden You can get more copies of this issue free of charge by contacting [email protected] 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD 5 CASE STUDY: THE GOODS PACKAGE 28 Kåre Bryn, Secretary-General of EFTA The EFTA study on certification and INTRODUCTION: 15 YEARS marks in Europe 30 OF THE EEA 6 THE OPEN METHOD OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COORDINATION 31 DECISION SHAPING FOR THE EFTA STATES 8 The OMC and employment 32 Iceland and the OMC in education 33 Rita Kieber-Beck, Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein AGENCIES 34

LISTENING TO EFTA – Executive agencies and the THE VIEW FROM THE EU 10 Marco Polo programme 36

Joe Borg, European Commissioner THE ROLE OF THE ADVISORY for Maritime Affairs BODIES 37

DECISION MAKING IN THE EU The EEA JPC Resolution on health AND THE EEA 13 services in the EEA 38

DECISION SHAPING IN THE EEA 20 STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER ACTORS 40 CASE STUDY: REACH – INFLUENCED BY EFTA? 26 ADVICE FOR DECISION SHAPERS 42 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 4 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 5

FOREWORD

This edition of the EFTA The challenges posed by the new forms of EU Bulletin looks at decision governance need to be seen in perspective. In certain shaping in the European cases, changing practices on the EU side could in fact Economic Area: 15 years after create opportunities and facilitate the contribution of the inception of the EEA the EEA EFTA States to the development of the EEA. Agreement, it is now timely to Indeed, time and again the EEA EFTA States and the revisit this subject. EU have been able to accommodate developments in EU decision making within the EEA framework. Over the 15 years of the EEA, thousands of experts from One example of this is the growing number of the EEA EFTA States have European agencies, which was not envisaged when the participated in the preparatory EEA was concluded. The EEA EFTA States have work of new legislation for the Internal Market and the successfully been able to ensure their participation in EEA. Dozens of written contributions from the EEA EEA relevant agencies. EFTA States on specific initiatives have been submitted and provided input into the EU’s elaboration of new Another example concerns the increased use of the Open initiatives for improvement of the Internal Market. Method of Coordination (OMC), in particular under the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. Even though the It should be emphasised that the EEA continues to EEA EFTA States are not formally part of the Lisbon function well and in accordance with the original Strategy, it has been possible for them to be included in intentions. New Internal Market rules are being many OMC processes. These examples attest to the incorporated into the Agreement on a regular basis. flexibility of the EEA Agreement and the willingness of The implementation record of the EEA EFTA States in the two sides to adapt it to new circumstances. this regard is consistently above the EU average, and the specific EEA institutions, the EFTA Surveillance Therefore, in order to highlight the impact of the new Authority and the EFTA Court, continue to perform the forms of EU governance on decision shaping in the tasks accorded to them by the Agreement. Taken EEA, a number of thematic chapters are included, together, these factors ensure the credibility of the covering agencies and the OMC, the social dialogue, EEA as a homogenous legal area. the parliamentary dimension, as well as the emergence The EEA EFTA States’ possibility to participate directly of other actors in the policy-shaping process. in the continuous development of the EU Internal Market is an essential, and unique, feature of the EEA These chapters are supplemented by case studies of Agreement. These mechanisms are particularly how the decision-shaping mechanisms work in important for the EEA EFTA States, as they do not practice. This Bulletin has also benefited from two participate in the decision-making stage in the EU. seminars on decision shaping in the EEA that took place at the EFTA Secretariat on 11 November 2005 However, over the last 15 years there have been and on 9 December 2008. We would like to thank the considerable changes in the EU. Enlargement from 12 participants for their contributions and valuable input to 27 Member States, the introduction of the Euro, the at the seminars. development of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, cooperation in the field of justice and home We would in particular like to thank Commissioner affairs, and indeed the creation of the European Union Joe Borg for his comments on the role played by the itself, have all taken place after the EEA Agreement EEA EFTA States in the development of the Integrated was negotiated in the early 1990s. Maritime Strategy. We are also very appreciative of the contribution of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of This transformation has been accompanied by new Liechtenstein, H.E. Rita Kieber-Beck, on the importance policy-making methods and the use of a broader range of decision shaping for the EFTA States. of policy instruments. The Bulletin therefore devotes both the introduction and the first chapter to policy- making processes in the EU and the EEA. A Kåre Bryn presentation of the various mechanisms available to the EEA EFTA States to contribute to the shaping of Internal Market policies and legislation is provided in the chapter on decision shaping in the EEA. Secretary-General 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page6

EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 6 the ministerial-levelEEA Council,theEEA Joint institutional framework. A setofcommoninstitutions– The EEA Agreement ismanagedbyanelaborate incorporated intotheEEA. 1994, nearly6,000newlegalactshavebeen annexes andprotocols.Sinceitsentryintoforcein the EEA throughamendmentstoitsnumerous market acquis–theEU’s rulesandregulations–into provides fortheincorporationofnewEUinternal a homogenoussinglemarket,theEEA Agreement The EEA isdynamic.Inordertoachievethegoalof EEA EFTA States.Itcontainsseveraluniquefeatures: The Two-Pillar EEAStructure 15 YEARS OF THE EEA INTRODUCTION: pillar showstheEUside. The jointEEA bodiesareinthemiddle. This figureillustratesthemanagement oftheEEA Agreement. The leftpillarshowstheEFTA Statesandtheirinstitutions,whil * Switzerland isanobserver THE STANDING COMMITTEE EFTA PARLIAMENTARY OF THE EFTA STATES EFTA SURVEILLANCE LIECHTENSTEIN CONSULTATIVE EFTA Secretariat EFTA Secretariat EFTA Secretariat EFTA COURT COMMITTEE COMMITTEE AUTHORITY NORWAY ICELAND EFTA by theEuropeanUnionand comprehensive treatyeverconcluded Economic Area (EEA)isthemost The Agreement ontheEuropean * Ministers oftheEUand Ministers European Commission Parliaments andMEPs the EEAEFTA States PARLIAMENTARY Representatives CONSULTATIVE MPs from EFTA and EEAEFTA COMMITTEE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE COMMITTEE EEA COUNCIL COMMITTEE EEA JOINT EEA JOINT EEA the EU’s InternalMarket. comparable tothatoftheEuropeanCourtJusticein EFTA Courtplaysarolevis-à-vistheEEA EFTA states has anumberofadditionaltaskswithintheEU). The States (althoughofcoursetheEuropeanCommission the EuropeanCommissionvis-à-visEUMember States andinthisrespectplaysasimilarroletothatof monitors complianceofEEA rulesbytheEEA EFTA figure below). The EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) creating theso-calledtwo-pillarsystemofEEA (see Court ofJustice–wereestablishedontheEFTA side, EU side–theEuropeanCommissionand Institutions mirroringsupranationalinstitutionsonthe Commission andtheEUCouncilSecretariat. support providedbytheEFTA Secretariat,the created tomanagetheEEA,withadministrative working groupsofofficials andexperts–havebeen Committee ofseniorofficials, andsubcommittees * * European Commission EU Presidency (Troika) COMMITTEE (EESC) COMMITTEE EESC Secretariat EP Secretariat COMMISSION PARLIAMENT AND SOCIAL Commission ECONOMIC EUROPEAN EUROPEAN OF JUSTICE EUROPEAN Services COURT COURT + e theright 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page7 part oftheEU’s totalactivities. Internal Marketconstitutesonlyone,albeitimportant, of publicpolicy. Oneconsequenceofthisisthatthe (JHA). The Unionisnowinvolvedinvirtuallyallareas (CFSP) andthefieldofJusticeHome Affairs (EMU), theCommonForeignandSecurityPolicy revisions, notablytheEconomicandMonetaryUnion number ofpolicyareasasaresultthetreaty Secondly, theEUhasbecomeengagedinagrowing Parliament undertheco-decisionprocedure. substantially amendedbytheCouncilandEuropean process, asnewCommissionproposalsaremoreoften increased. This hashadanimpactonthelegislative First, theinfluenceofEuropeanParliamenthas the decision-shapingpossibilitiestherein. changes totheEUwhicharerelevantEEA and with otherdevelopments,haveledtoconsiderable the MemberStates. These treatyrevisions,combined with athirdrevisioncurrentlyawaitingratificationby then, includingtwofurtherrevisionstotheEUtreaties, the EuropeanUnionhasevolvedconsiderablysince month astheMaastricht Treaty wassigned.However, effectively concludedinFebruary 1992,thesame The negotiationsontheEEA Agreement were their participation. States adoptlegislationwhichhasbeendecidedwithout inherently asymmetricprocesswherebytheEEA EFTA shaping mechanismsprovidelegitimacytoan make proposalsfornewlegislation. The decision- the factthatCommissionhasanexclusiverightto of thisprocess. The importanceisfurtherunderlinedby they thushavelimitedabilitytoinfluencetheoutcome access tothedecision-makingphaseinEU,and EFTA States,asthe Agreement grantsthemnoformal element oftheEEA fromtheperspectiveofEEA These decision-shapingmechanismsareanimportant resolutions respondingtoCommissioninitiatives. of EEA EFTA commentsandtheadoptionof European Commissioncommitteesorthesubmission can taketheformofparticipationEFTA expertsin the EFTA sidebeforenewlegislationisadopted.Input The EEA Agreement containsprovisionsforinputfrom mechanisms intheEEA Agreement. affected thefunctioningof decision-shaping These changesraisethequestionastohowthishas Strategy allbeingcurrentandrecentexamples. and climatechangepolicypackagetheMaritime Strategy, theBetterRegulationinitiative, theenergy cutting strategiesandinitiatives,withtheLisbon has beenfollowedbyagreateruseofbroadercross- ‘soft law’. The broadeningofthescopeEUactivities non-legislative instrumentsreferredtocollectivelyas the Union. The EUincreasingly alsomakesuseofnew which theMemberStatesareinvolvedinrunningof particular in‘new’ EUpolicyareas;andintheway growing executiverolefortheCouncilSecretariat,in decentralisation offunctionstoautonomousagencies;a steadily increasingnumberofexpertgroupsanda changes tothewayCommissionoperates,witha functions oftheUnionareundertaken. These include are alsochangesinthewaywhichexecutive new legislativeactinorderforittobeadopted),there Council andtheEuropeanParliamentmustagreeona use oftheco-decisionprocedure(wherebyboth and newpolicyinstruments.Inadditiontothegrowing increasingly makesuseofnewpolicy-makingmethods governance havegraduallyemerged, astheEU In responsetothesedevelopments,newformsof deals withnon-MemberStates. patterns, andhasalsoalteredthewayinwhichEU dynamics intheEU,withnewandshiftingcoalition States risingfrom12to27. This hascreatedanew into forceoftheEEA,withnumberMember The EUhasbeenenlarged threetimessincetheentry Alongside this‘deepening’,theEUhasalso‘widened’.

EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 7 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page8

EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 8 economic growth. the higheststandardsoflivinganduninterrupted EFTA Statesoveraperiodof15years toenjoysomeof major achievementswhichhaveenabledtheEEA equal treatmentofmenandwomen.Insum,theseare societies andforfacilitatingsocialprogress,including protection ofhealth,safetyandtheenvironmentinour framework forthedevelopmentofahighlevel Moreover, the Agreement hasproventobeaneffective of itsfoundation. optimistic supportershaddaredtohopeforatthetime robust andableinthisrespectthanevenitsmost accomplished. The EEA hasprovenitselftobe more goods, capital,servicesandpersons,hasbeen conditions forcompetitionwithfreemovementof homogeneous legalareawithcommonrulesandequal objective, namelytheestablishmentofadynamicand served oureconomiesandsocietieswell.Itsmain Looking backintime,theEEA Agreement hasindeed our mostimportantmarkets. Norway andLiechtenstein–withguaranteedaccessto operators ofthethreeEEA EFTA StatesIceland, important, asitprovidesus–citizensandeconomic real economy, theEEA Agreement becomesdoubly global financialcrisisisfollowedbyslowdowninthe We’re livinginuncertainandchallengingtimes. As the THE EFTA STATES DECISION SHAPINGFOR THE IMPORTANCE OF Liechtenstein 2005-2009 Foreign of Minister Kieber-Beck, Rita By to changesEUgovernance.Ourparticipationin there aremanyexamplesofhowtheEEA hasadapted EEA isproofofitsdurabilityandadaptability. Indeed, gone through,thecontinuedsmoothfunctioningof of time.InlighttheconsiderablechangesEUhas often fundamentaltransformationsinthesameperiod proven tobea‘movingtarget’, undergoing several was negotiatedintheearly1990s.NotleastEUhas But theworldhasnotstoodstillsince Agreement importance toLiechtenstein. our 35,000inhabitants,thisisofcourseparticular information, supportedbytheEFTA Secretariat. With EEA, facilitatesthepoolingofresourcesandsharing we arethreeStatestogetherontheEFTA sideinthe countries suchastheEEA EFTA States. The factthat EEA Agreement areparticularlyvaluableforsmaller The opportunitiesfordecision-shapingprovidedbythe legislation atanearlystage. the formationofnewEEA relevantpoliciesand initiatives andallowustocontributeinfluence information ofnewpolicydevelopmentsandlegislative The decision-shapingmechanismsareasourceof decision-shaping mechanismsallthemoreimportant. formal decision-makingstageintheUnionmakesthese in theirdealingswiththeEU.Ourabsencefrom Member Stateshavesuchclosecooperationprocedures legislative processintheEU.Noothernon-EU for consultationsduringthepreparatorystageof of theEEA, Agreement affords usextensive room extensive commitmentsweacceptedinordertobepart and bythethreeEEA EFTA States.Mirroringthe international economictreatyeverconcludedbytheEU The EEA Agreement isarguably themostfar-reaching implementation intheEEA EFTA States. thousands ofnewlegalactsandensuredtheirproper function well,andhavefacilitatedtheincorporationof The institutionsestablishedtomanagethe Agreement 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page9 inherent opportunitiesoftheEEA Agreement. ensure thatwecontinuetomaketheutmostof we followdevelopmentsontheEUsidecloselyto challenges fortheEEA EFTA States.Itisimportantthat Clearly, theEUwillcontinuetoevolveandposefresh can befoundwherethereispoliticalwill. provides athirdexampleofhowpragmaticsolutions with itsenhancedroleaslegislatorinEEA matters, development ofcontactswiththeEuropeanParliament, number ofEEA-relevantOMCprocesses. The (OMC). The EEA EFTA Statestodayparticipatein a governance, suchastheOpenMethodofCoordination adapted tothedevelopmentofothernewformsEU be involvedinEEA-relevantagencies. We havealso successfully argued thattheEEA EFTA Statesshould not envisagedwhenEEA wasconcluded,butwehave number ofautonomousagenciesontheEUsidewas agencies isonesuchexample. The growthinthe Foreign Affairs andExternal Trade ofIceland andAnneleneSvingen, State Secretary, of Ministry Trade andIndustry, Norway. Leuthard, Federal Councillor, HeadoftheFederal ofEconomic Affairs, Department Switzerland, Kåre Bryn, EFTA Secretary-Genera With herfellow EFTA at Ministers theEFTA andtheSecretary-General summerMinisterial Meetingin2008: Kieber-Beck, Rita Mini States intheyearstocome. challenges forLiechtensteinandtheotherEEA EFTA affected bydevelopmentsintheEUconstituteskey stage andhowthedecision-shapingmechanismsare contribute topolicydevelopmentsintheEUatanearly Agreement. Awareness oftheopportunitiesto on theEUsideandareincorporatedinEEA deliberated atthenationallevelbeforetheyareadopted ensure thatnewEUproposalsareaddressedand A proactiveapproachisindeednecessaryifwewantto ster ofForeign Affairs, Liechtenstein, Doris l, Ingibjörg SolrunGisladottir, Minister for Rita Kieber-Beck Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein 2005-2009

EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 9 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page10 10 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 participated inthemeetingsofExpertsGroupon Focal PointsGroupforMaritimePolicyandhave Iceland havetakenanactivepartintheHighLevel still veryconstructiveandvaluable.Norway from thebeginningofprocessbackin2005,andis Maritime Policyhasbeenputinplacedifferent ways close collaborationinthepreparationofEU the implementationofEUMaritimePolicy. This EFTA States(mostimportantlyNorwayandIceland)in The EUcontinuestoseekclosecollaborationwithin developments thatneedtobeaddressed. gas andmineralresourcesarenewchallenging environment andtheexpandedexploitationofoil climate change,theprotectionofmarine opening ofnewnavigationroutes,theimpacts shipping, theexploitationoffishingresources, together withtheEU. The prospectsforincreased environment andfacecommonthreatschallenges EU MemberStatesenjoyacommonmarine without theparticipationofitsneighbours.EFTA and shared, theEUalonecannotachievetheseobjectives Since seasandoceansarecommonspacesthat being forfuturegenerations. our oceansasasustainablesourceofwealthandwell- so astoprotectinabetterwaytheecologicalbalanceof Maritime Policyrequiresacoordinatedimplementation European ParliamentandtheCouncil. The EU Blue Paperof10October2007andendorsedbythe Maritime PolicyasproposedbytheCommissionin The EUhasstartedimplementinganewIntegrated THE FROM VIEW THE EU LISTENING TO EFTA – Commissioner JoeBorg By European • • including severalmajorevents: been heldonaregularbasisandatdifferent levels, Maritime Policywasbeingdeveloped.Contactshave during theperiodwhenconceptofanIntegrated States haveparticipatedinothereventsthatwereheld relevant structuresinIceland.Furthermore,EFTA information andexamplesonthefunctioningof of theGreenPaperandprovidedverycomprehensive approach. The contribution answeredallthequestions proposals onanEUmaritimepolicyanditsintegrated process throughacontributionthatwelcomedthe Similarly, Icelandparticipatedin the consultation improvement ofthestatusoceanitself. sectors andrestsontheLisbonStrategy management oftheseasthatincludesallrelevant EU maritimepolicybasedonholisticandintegrated the GreenPaper. Bothwelcomedtheinitiativeforan consultation processlaunchedafterthepublicationof the GreenPaperandanotheroneduring Norway preparedacontributionpriortotheadoptionof contributions fedourreflectionsonthewholesubject. proposals andpracticalinformationprovidedintheir Iceland onmaritimeaffairs andtheconstructive consultation process. The experienceofNorwayand consideration andanalysedattheendof posted onourwebsite,werefullytakeninto reflections onthisnewconcept,andtheirresponses, launched bytheGreenPaperof2006,whichstartedour Both havecontributedtotheconsultationprocess European Commission. Maritime PolicytogetherwithMemberStatesandthe Commission inthemeeting. General FokionFotiadisrepresentedthe Implications fortheEEA”wasadopted.Director- resolution “TheEUFutureMaritimePolicy: Committee, heldin Vaduz on28June2007the Committee heldon10October2006. At the28 27 held inStrasbourg ontheoccasionof A firstexchangeofviewsinwhichItookpartwas th meeting oftheEEA JointParliamentary th meeting oftheEEA JointParliamentary 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page11 particularly promisinginthisrespect: maritime policyissues.Fiveoftheseissuesare would liketoinvitethemparticipateactivelyinnew development oftheIntegratedMaritimePolicyand continued involvementofIcelandandNorwayinthe As tothefuture,EUwouldlikeensure Communication. take partintheimplementationofour Arctic invited tosecondoneofitsexpertsDGMARE EU IntegratedMaritimePolicy. Icelandhasalsobeen to theDirectorate-Generalincharge ofdevelopingthe Since 2005Norwayhasalsosecondedanationalexpert • • • • • Integrated MaritimePolicy. important contributiontoimplementingtheEU the firstlayerofanEU Arctic policyandisalsoan on the Arctic Region. This Communicationforms Parliament andtheCouncilofEuropeanUnion November 2008aCommunicationtotheEuropean The EuropeanCommissionadoptedon20 the Commission. Ferrero-Waldner attendedthemeetingonbehalfof cooperation withEEA States.Commissioner taken inimplementingMaritimePolicyandon Policy, withparticularfocusonthenext stepstobe orientation debateontheIntegratedMaritime On 27May2008theEEA Councilheldan took placeinBrussels. in thefirstEuropeanMaritimeDayconferencethat On 20May2008NorwayandIcelandparticipated development oftheEUIntegratedMaritimePolicy. wanted tokeepIcelandandNorwayinvolvedinthe February andonbothoccasionshedeclaredthat 2008 andmettheIcelandicPrimeMinisteron27 President BarrosovisitedNorwayon25February Maritime Policy, heldinLisbon. during theinformalMinisterialmeetingon Norway andIceland)gatheredforajointdiscussion coordinating maritimematters(includingfrom On 22October2007,forthefirsttime,EUministers • • maritime economy. The EUseekstoreinforcethe the sectoritselfbutalsoforentireEuropean maritime transportpolicyisofinterestnotonlyto environmental footprint. The developmentof general itisveryefficient, itstillhasanimportant Shipping isathrivingsectorand,althoughin will beofextremeimportance. Baltic Seaareas,wheretheparticipationofNorway will mostlikelybedevelopedintheNorthand actions tofollowupontheroadmapin2009. They We haveplannedtosetuppreparatoryorpilot preparing theCommunication. one ofthebestpracticesthatwelookedintowhile Barents Seaandtheseaareaoff the Lofoten Islandsis EU. Norway’s IntegratedManagementPlanforthe to maritimespatialplanningcanbeachievedinthe encourage abroaddebateonhowcommonapproach common principlesintheEU”whichaimsto “Roadmap formaritimespatialplanning:achieving The CommissionhasjustadoptedtheCommunication structure fortheHighNorth. issue wouldcontributetoenhancingthegovernance Council. The support ofNorwayandIcelandonthis to applyforpermanentobserverstatusinthe Arctic UNCLOS. InthiscontexttheCommissionintends coastal statesanditsownresponsibilitiesunder Arctic, recognisingtheroleof Arctic Ocean contribution tomultilateralcooperationinthe The EuropeanUnioniswillingtostrengthenits cooperation withall Arctic statesandcommunities. These goalscanonlybeachievedinclose populations anddevelopadialoguewiththem. help toprotectthelivelihoodofindigenous priority goalsinthe Arctic. Equally, theEUshould sustainability shouldbetheEuropeanUnion’s protecting theenvironmentandensuring transport. As proposedintheCommunication, maritime affairs, energy, research,fisheriesand in areassuchastheenvironment,climatechange, challenges inasystematicandcoordinatedmanner The EuropeanUnionwillcontinuetoaddress Arctic 11 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page12 12 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 policy adviceforthefuture. marine andmaritimeeconomyinformulating of aknowledgebaseforsustainablethriving Iceland areactivelyparticipatinginthedevelopment activities. ItisalsoworthnotingthatNorwayand participation inanumberofkeystakeholder maritime researchcommunicationthroughits contributed valuablytodevelopingthemarineand capabilities inthe Arctic. Furthermore,Norwayhas for enhancingmonitoringandsurveillance for thecreationofnewresearchinfrastructuresand the Arctic region,inwhichourCommunicationcalls An obviousareaofscientificcooperationcouldbe infrastructures. capacity- buildingofhumanresourcesand Capture andStorage)renewableenergy aswell change monitoringandmitigation(e.g.Carbon maritime sector, greenermaritimetransport,climate management, sustainablegrowthinthemarineand (EMODNET), ecosystem-basedfisheries European MarineObservationandDataNetwork underpinning keytopicslikethedevelopmentof the MarineandMaritimeResearchStrategy, have animportantroletoplayinthedevelopmentof 7 potential forcooperation. As fullmembersofthe Scientific researchisanotherareawithaveryhigh for Maritime Transport. Motorways oftheSeaorforthcomingStrategy such astheMaritimeSpacewithoutBarriers, appropriate developmentofimportantinitiatives sector withintheEFTA Statesbyensuringthe th Framework Programme(FP7),theEFTA States conceptual workofcommoninterest. best practices,aswellbringtogethersome would subscribetoaregularandstructuredexchangeof OECD grouponintegratedmaritimepolicywhich of interestiswhetheritcouldbeusetolaunchan enhanced. OnereflectionthatEFTA partnersmayfind cooperation withEFTA MemberStatescanbefurther also lookingintonewmaritimepolicyareaswhere This listisnotcomprehensiveandtheCommission • maritime surveillancenetwork. systems andtheestablishmentofanintegratedEU even greaterintegrationofmaritimesurveillance and Icelandcanbeenvisagedinordertoachieve sea). FurthercollaborationbetweentheEU,Norway authorities tohelppreventpollutionandaccidentsat information betweenMemberStates’ maritime Directive 2002/59/BContheexchangeof surveillance matters(e.g.implementationof between EUandEFTA Statesonspecificmaritime There isalreadysubstantialcooperationtakingplace Fisheries andMaritime Affairs European Commissioner Joe Borg 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page13 • • • • • number ofcomplicatingfactors: the MemberStatesimplement.However, therearea European Parliamentadopt;andtheCommission the Commissionproposes;Counciland The policyprocessintheEUconsistsofthreestages: THE EUAND THE EEA DECISION MAKINGIN Committee ofRegionsandtheEconomicSocial involved, includingtheadvisorybodies(the Parliament –therearenumerousotheractors Commission, theCouncilandEuropean In additiontothethreeEUinstitutions– retains thesolerightoflegislativeproposals. a giventopic,eventhoughtheCommissionformally right torequestaproposalfromtheCommissionon The CouncilandtheEuropeanParliamenthave launching anddevelopmentofnewEUinitiatives. Council andthusplaysanimportantroleinthe The rotatingPresidencysetstheagendafor the EuropeanParliamentinlegislativeprocess. adopted byconsensus),andincreasedthepowerof voting intheCouncil(althoughmostdecisionsare 2003). These have broadenedthescopeformajority Treaties haveenteredintoforcein1993,1999,and relatively frequentamendmentsofthe Treaties (new The formalprocedureshavebeenchangedwith Council andtheParliament. to implementframeworklegislationadoptedbythe determine detailedandtechnicalmeasuresrequired There isaspecialprocedureknownascomitologyto made bytheCouncil). with theCounciltobeinginformedofdecisions European Parliament(rangingfromequalstatus voting (QMV)orbyunanimity–andtheroleof with decisionsmadeeitherbyqualifiedmajority concern themethodofadoptioninCouncil– depending onthepolicyarea. The keydifferences The Treaties providefordifferent procedures between theEUinstitutionsandotherstakeholders. within andbetweentheEUinstitutionsaswell interlinked processes,bothformalandinformal, process, oneisfacedwithaseriesofparallelyet Thus, withintheframeworkofbasicthree-stage • • Parliament inordertobeadopted. decisions requiretheapprovalofEuropean of Ministersmakesdecisions.Increasingly, such Lipsius building,whichisalsowheretheCouncil intiatives. EUsummitstakeplaceintheJustus Commissioners, whoproposenewEUpolicy the BerlaymontbuildinghousesEuropean EU policyisdeterminedinthesethreebuildings: ofEurope Brussels –theheart © EuropeanCommunities,2009 making mechanisms. role alongsidetheofficial, treaty-based decision- Informal channelsofconsultationplayanimportant formally anEUinstitution. development oftheUnion,eventhoughitisnot States –playsacentralroleinthestrategic heads ofStateandGovernmenttheMember The EuropeanCouncil–theregularmeetingsof public throughconsultations. organisations, andincreasinglyalsothegeneral various interestgroupsandnon-governmental Committee), thegrowingnumberofEUagencies, © TheCounciloftheEuropeanUnion 13 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:56 Page 14

The proposal stage emerges. The rotating Presidency of the EU Council plays a particularly important role in this regard. The first stage of the decision-making process is the drafting of a proposal by the Commission. This is the The first concrete step on the Commission side is first phase during which decision shaping takes sometimes the issuing of a green paper, in particular to place and for which the EEA Agreement contains launch a new and major policy initiative. A green paper provisions for input from the EEA EFTA States (see serves as a discussion document intended to stimulate next chapter). The development of a new policy debate and launch a process of consultation. It is usually initiative can be, and often is, a drawn-out process. followed by a white paper, which contains official It has arguably become even more so in recent years, proposals for EU action. In the development of new due to demands for transparency and public proposals, the Commission conducts extensive consultations, and the requirement of impact consultations with various actors, such as the other EU assessments of legislative proposals. institutions, experts in the Member States, interest groups, and, increasingly, with the general public Specific EU policy initiatives are often launched as a through a public consultation process. Studies by result of the regular planning process in the Commission, external experts can be commissioned by the announced either in the five-year strategies adopted by Commission before concrete proposals are developed. each incoming Commission and/or in the annual These complement the impact assessments conducted strategies and work programmes. Even though the by the Commission. Such assessments of the economic, Commission formally has the sole right of initiative, social and environmental impact have been obligatory other EU institutions and external actors are involved in for all initiatives included in the Commission’s annual the initial phase, during which an EU policy initiative Work and Legislative Programme since 2005.

14 COMMISSION PROPOSAL

Communications Green & White Papers

EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 EFTA Impact assessment Commission

Workshops/ EEA EFTA Hearings comments Tools Opinions/ Studies Consultations Reports

General public/ EFTA Citizens Independent/ Expert Groups Academic Experts Member Actors Stakeholders/ Advisory European States NGOs Bodies Parliament 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page15 the EU: There arethreemethodsofadoptinglegislativeactsin Commission proposal. in manycasesinvitedtoprovidetheiropiniononthe Regions andtheEconomicSocialCommittee,are Parliament. The advisorybodies,theCommitteeof it istransmittedtotheCouncilandEuropean Once ameasurehasbeenadoptedbytheCommission The adoptionstage is thatsuchproposalsarepresentedin debate ortoproposepolicymeasures.Onerecenttrend Parliament fortheirendorsement,eithertoinitiate are transmittedtotheCouncilandEuropean where specificpolicymeasuresareproposed. These adoption bytheCommissionofa The firstconsultationstypicallyculminatewiththe the processviaadhoc affected bytheplannedmeasure,thesearebroughtinto draft ofalegislativeproposal.IncaseotherDGsare responsible forthepolicydossierstartsworkonafirst relevant Directorate-General(DG)oftheCommission policy packagebytheCouncilandParliament, Following theendorsementofacommunicationor contain bothlegislativeandnon-legislativemeasures. Commission staff workingdocuments,andwhich which formalCommunicationsaresupplementedby adopted byco-decision.IfandwhentheLisbon Treaty all InternalMarket(andthusEEA)relevantlegislationis of Commissionersforformaladoption. Following this,theproposalisputbeforeCollege Legal Service. through theCommission’s Secretariat-Generaland procedure goes throughtheso-called the proposalinquestion. After thedraftisfinalisedit input concerningthepositionsofMemberStateson experts thesegroupsalsoprovidetheCommissionwith technical expertise,butastheyconsistofnational in establishedpolicyareas. The expertgroupsprovide This istypicallythefirststepforlegislativeproposals through avails itselfextensivelyofexternalexperts,normally In thedraftingofnewlegislation,Commission proposal draftingprocess. are runinparallelwiththeimpactassessmentand extensive consultationsalsoduringthisstage,which co-decision, consultation expert groups . InadditiontootherDGsitalsopasses inter-service groups created bytheCommission. inter-service consultation and communication assent packages . There are . There . Virtually in proposal asamendedbytheEuropeanParliament, If theCouncildoesnotagreewithCommission of decisionsisinpracticeclearedatthislevel. no votetakesplaceintheworkinggroups,alarge share negotiations amongtheMemberStates,andalthough in thesystem. These constituteavitalarenafor level officials fromtheMemberStates,playakeyrole The Councilworkinggroups,whichconsistoflower- the Commission’s commentsontheCouncil’s position. European Parliamentforasecondreadingalongwith produces acommonpositionandsendsittothe does notagreewiththeparliamentaryamendments,it reading intheParliament.IncasethatCouncil prepares apositionsimultaneouslywiththefirst The CouncilreviewstheCommission’s proposaland parliamentary committeeintheprocess. important tonotethepivotalroleplayedbyrelevant Although formalapprovalismadeintheplenary, itis amendments areapprovedbyasimplemajority. proposed amendmentsandafteradebate,the Commission’s positionontheEuropeanParliament’s plenary session,theCommissionerresponsiblegives parliamentary committeebysimplemajority. At the placed ontheplenaryagendaafterbeingpassedby proposal, whichisdiscussedbythecommitteeand the dossierselectsarapporteurtodraftreporton proposal. The parliamentary committeeresponsiblefor a firstreadingandsubsequentopinionofthelegislative The processintheEuropeanParliament(EP)beginswith and theParliament)inEU. Commission proposalanditsadoptionbytheCouncil adopted (i.e.thetimelagbetweenpresentationofa On average,ittakesalmosttwoyearsforanacttobe procedure (seefigurepage16). of Amsterdam. Article 251ECsetsouttheco-decision was negotiated,andlaterrevisedthroughthe Treaty Maastricht Treaty in1993,i.e.aftertheEEA Agreement act inorderforittobeadopted.Itwasintroducedbythe the EuropeanParliamentmustagreeonanewlegislative Under theco-decisionprocedure,bothCounciland Co-Decision Council andtheEuropeanParliament. to participateinthedecision-makingprocess EFTA Stateshavenoformalmechanismallowingthem legislative procedure’.Duringthiscrucialstage,theEEA even moreprevalentandre-namedasthe‘ordinary enters intoforce,theco-decisionprocedurewillbecome 15 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page16 16 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 Co-decision procedure Opinion oftheCommittee been adopted The instrumentisdeemedto have noaction.position ortakes Parliament of theRegions Proposal by theCommission to theEuropean Parliament andtheCouncil If the amendments orParliament approves theproposal, the adopts theinstrument Parliament’s amendmentsand majority, approves all The Council may adoptthe Council approves thecommon Council instrument not to have beenadopted approve theinstrument, itisdeemed of thesetwo institutionsfailsto majority, adopttheinstrument. either If majority, andtheCouncil, by aqualified agreement. Parliament, by anabsolute The Conciliation Committee reaches an , by aqualified approves allthe Opinion of Council ofMinisters (first reading) Examination by Parliament have beenadopted The instrumentisdeemednotto theCouncilrejects common position. Parliament the amendmentsorParliament does common position(second reading) Council adoptsacommon position If the participates initswork participates Committee.Commission The meeting oftheConciliation Council andofParliament convene a agreement, thepresidents ofthe Parliament’s amendments. Bymutual The The not approve theproposal, the Council Council by aqualifiedmajoritiy , by anabsolute majority, Parliament Opinion oftheEuropean does notapprove all does notapprove all Economic andSocial opinion delivers apositive The Committee Commission been adopted instrument isdeemednotto have not reach anagreement. The The Conciliation Committee does of theCouncil amendments proposes absolute majority, Parliament instrument adopts the amendments and Parliament’s approves all unanimously The opinion delivers anegative The Council Commission , by an , by 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07-2:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 3/03/0913:44Page17 procedure. Itiscurrentlyutilisedonlywhenthe Treaty The consultationprocedureistheoriginallegislative Funds, andtheaccessionofnewMemberStates. international agreements,theStructuralandCohesion amendments. Itiscurrentlyusedtoapprovesome may acceptorrejectCouncildraftsbutitcannotsuggest Under theassentprocedure,EuropeanParliament procedures areused,dependingonthefield. procedure, theassent,consultationorcooperation For thoseareaswhichdonotfallundertheco-decision Assent andconsultation procedure begins. is notapprovedbytheCouncil,conciliation adopt theactbyqualifiedmajority. However, iftheact Commission reactionispositive,theCouncilmay can onlyadopttheactunanimously. However, ifthe provides itsopinionontheamendedtext;Council the CouncilandCommission. The Commissionthen adopts itsownamendments,therevisedtextgoesto act isnotadopted.ButiftheEuropeanParliament European ParliamentrejecttheCouncil’s position,the plenary tobeadoptedbyabsolutemajority. Shouldthe before theproposedamendmentsareput first beingdonebytheparliamentarycommittee, same procedureaswiththefirstreading,work Council’s amendedtext.Indoingso,itfollowsthe European Parliamenthasthreemonthstoreviewthe Exchange ofviewsin EEA EFTAcomments Informal meetings/ the EFTAStanding Working Groups representatives Committee Exchange ofviewsin EEA EFTAcomments EEA EFTA Informal meetings/ the EFTAStanding Working Groups EFTA representatives Committee EEA EFTA EFTA EEA EFTAparticipation in thepreparationof Implementation Commission new EUlaw measures proposal New EU EEA EFTAparticipation Act in thepreparationof

Implementation Commission new EUlaw

measures proposal New EU Act

proposed bytheCommission. have thepowertoapproveorrejectmeasures supervise theimplementationwork,Committees next chapter).EstablishedinorderfortheCouncilto comitology committeesofrelevancetotheEEA (see EEA EFTA officials areusuallypresentinthe Commission andconsistofMemberStatesofficials. committees. These are presided overbythe The Commissionisassistedinthistaskbycomitology of theruleswhichCouncillaysdown. which theCounciladopts,powersforimplementation The CouncilshallconferontheCommission,inacts Act, whichenteredintoforcein1987,toread: of theEC Treaty wasmodifiedbytheSingleEuropean they refertoalreadyadoptedlegislativeacts. Article 202 sometimes alsoreferredtoas‘derived’ legislation,as measures aredecidedbytheCommission. They are implemented. Suchimplementationorexecution more detailedtechnicalmeasuresinordertobe Many ofthelegislativeactsadoptedinEUrequire Comitology opinion, itcanonlydosobyunanimity. amend theproposalinaccordancewithEP’s not requiredtofollowit.However, iftheCouncildoes Council requeststheEP’s opiniononaproposalbutis does notspecifyanyoftheotherprocedures. The

EU Comitology Processing of • Commission • EP/Council • Council Committees EU proposal EU Comitology Processing of • Commission • EP/Council • Council Committees EU proposal 17 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page18 18 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 procedure shouldbeapplied. be screenedinordertoassesswhetherthenew connection, alllegislationadoptedbyco-decisionwill European Parliamentinordertobeadopted.Inthis must beapprovedbyboththeCounciland procedures wherebycertainimplementationmeasures implementation stage. The reformsintroducenew Parliament, asitsoughtagreaterroleinthe were introducedatthebehestofEuropean 2006 –sincetheentryintoforceofEEA.Both EU comitologyhasbeenreformedtwice–in1999and committees inoperation. measures. There areapproximately200comitology different proceduresforthe adoptionofexecution Advisory, Management,andRegulatory –eachwith There arethreetypesofcomitologycommittees– by theCouncilandEuropeanParliament. is approximately30timesasmanytheactsadopted adopting morethan2500measureseveryyear, which overlooked roleinthelegislativeworkEU, The comitologysystemplaysanimportantbutoften The meetingsofthenumerous EFTA committees establishedto managetheEEAAgreement ontheEFTA sidetake place at theEFTA Se handed overtotheCommission. The EFTA Secretariat relevance. UponSubcommitteeapprovalthedraftis responsible Subcommitteeforconfirmationofits for approvalandsubsequentlyputontheagendaof Decision the EFTA Secretariatdraftsa When theexpertshavereturnedstandardsheets, EEA Agreement. requirements (seebelow)foritsincorporationintothe EFTA States,andwhetherthereareanyconstitutional technical adaptationsforincorporationintheEEA act isdeemedEEA-relevant,whetheritwillrequire answer anumberofquestionsconcerningwhetherthe recorded. ExpertsintheEEA EFTA capitalsmustthen and vitalinformationabouttheactinquestionis a an acthasbeenadopted,theEFTA Secretariatprepares decision-making processproperintheEEA. After such Council andtheEuropeanParliamentlaunches The adoptionofanEEA-relevantlegalactbythe EEA decisionmaking standard sheet (JCD). The draftJCDisthensenttoexperts , whichisaformwhereallreferences cretariat inBrussels. Joint Committee 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page19 JCD. Inordertoclarifyissuesandshortenthetime has animpactonthedateofentryintoforce fulfillment ofsuch approved byparliamentorareferendum. The their respectiveconstitutionsafterhavingbeen binding ontheContractingPartiesinaccordancewith which anEEA JointCommitteedecisioncanonlybe therefore beennecessarytoregulatethesituationin legislative powerstotheEEA JointCommittee.Ithas The ContractingPartieshavenottransferredany adoption intheEEA JointCommittee. then consultstheCommissionontimingof Committee Decision EFTA Subcommittees Assessment ofneed Standing Committee Working Groups for technicalor Assessment of EEA relevance EFTA Working adaptations draft Joint substantial Groups legalorder mentation national into the Imple- constitutional requirements Informal Negotiations Decision making EEA JointCommittee Formal Negotiations thus Committee in theEEA EEA Joint Decision

EFTA States. information totheCommissionandotherEEA notify theEFTA Secretariat,whichforwardsthe requirements arecompleted,theEEA EFTA States When theproceduresforfulfillmentofconstitutional adopted. therefore seekparliamentaryapprovalbeforeaJCDis Committee Decision,andtheEEA EFTA States Participation inprogrammesisdependentonaJoint consult theirparliamentsatanearlystage. States haveintroducedprocedurestoinformand period neededforparliamentaryapproval,EEA EFTA

Commission Experts DG ExternalRelations European Union 19 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:56Page20 20 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 EFTA Bulletinon decision shapingintheEEA A narrowerscopeofthetermwasusedin2002 used inthisBulletin. used andhasbecometheestablishedterm,itwillbe However, since‘decisionshaping’ ismostfrequently EU policyofrelevancetotheEEA morebroadly. limited toinfluencingindividualdecisions,butrather accurate intheEEA context,astheprocessisnot shaping’ isalsosometimesused,andperhapsmore proposals upuntiltheyareformallyadopted.‘Policy process ofcontributingtoandinfluencingpolicy Broadly speaking,decisionshapingcanbeseenasthe it seemsthatdecisionshapingisasuigenerisEEA term. almost exclusivelyarticlesrelatedtotheEEA.Inshort, dictionary orencyclopaedia. An internetsearchyields in theEEA Agreement, norisitfoundinanystandard The term‘decisionshaping’ doesnotappearanywhere What is ‘decision shaping’? IN THE EEA IN THE DECISION SHAPING It willnotbelimitedtolegislativeactsbutalsocover cooperation betweentheEUandEFTA States. of Bulletin. This aimstotakeintoaccounttheimportance the termwillbeappliedforpurposeofthis governed overthelast15years,abroadermeaningof In lightofthechangesinwaythatEUis written contributions preparing legislationormanagingprogrammes,and committees mechanisms consistofEEA EFTA of theEEA. The principaldecision-shaping development oflegislativeproposalswithinthescope EEA Agreement, particularlymeasuresaimedatthe on decision-shapingopportunitiesmandatedbythe More specifically, theterm‘decision shaping’ focuses EEA EFTA influence.’ ‘participation incommitteesisnottheonlychannelfor new legislativeproposals,’ undertaken bytheEuropean Commissiontodrawup ‘Decision-shaping isthephaseofpreparatory work [2] [1] EFTA Bulletin2-2007, Guideto EUProgrammes (2007-2013). EFTA Bulletin1-2002, The European Economic Area: ShapingandParticipation inCommittees. Decision informal processes under theEuropeanCommission and of dialogue,consultationand resolutions while notingthat participation in . [1] : EEA Agreement Decision shapingandthe EU Councilbecausethevoteofprogramme before voting.Incaseswhereanissueisreferredtothe as oftheviewsexpressedbyEUMemberStates expressed bytheEEA EFTA Statesinthesamemanner Commission shalltakedueaccountoftheviews (No. 15)statesthatinreachingitsdecision,the A JointDeclarationintheFinal Act ofthe Agreement through theEEA Agreement. EFTA Statesareparticipatingin16suchprogrammes Committee structure.From2007to2013,theEEA the EEA EFTA StatesthroughtheEEA Joint formal inputordiscussionsonnewprogrammesfrom addition, Article 79ofthe Agreement providesfor of theEEA EFTA StatesinProgramme Committees.In Article 81setsoutthemodalitiesforparticipation calls forproposals,orselectingprojectsfunding. content oftheprogramme,draftingtextsforpublic They assisttheCommissionintaskslikespecifying consist ofrepresentativestheparticipatingstates. management oftheCommunityprogrammes,and These areresponsibleforthedevelopmentand Programme committees committees –aswellcertainothercommittees. programme committees,expertgroups,andcomitology participation inthreemaintypesofcommittees– The EEA Agreement providesforEEA EFTA broader EUpoliciesornon-legislative( in thedecision-shapingprocessEEA andtheEU. formalised involvementof EFTA, itwillalsocovertheincreasinglyimportantand the activitiesofgovernmentalbodiesinEUand the EEA JointParliamentaryCommittee.Inadditionto dialogue, relationswiththeEuropeanParliamentand of EEA EFTA socialpartnersintheEU and EFTA institutions policy instruments.Itwillfurtherinclude , forinstancetheparticipation non-governmental actors [2] ‘soft law’ other EU ) 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page21 continuous participationoftheEEA EFTA States. awaiting theirformalentryinordertosecurethe been invitedtothecommitteeas‘guests’ or‘observers’ programme, participantsfromtheEEA EFTA Stateshave existing programmeisreplacedwithanewsimilar programme. However, insomecases,notablywhenan often takeplaceinthecommitteeatstart-upofa This isnotanidealsituation,asimportantdiscussions later thantheircolleaguesfromtheEUMemberStates. States willoftenformallyjointhecommitteesomewhat by theEUinstitutions,representativesofEEA EFTA completed afteraprogrammehasbeenlegallyestablished EEA EFTA participationinaprogrammecanonly be As theproceduresneededtoestablishalegalbasisfor Committee. Sofar, thisoptionhasneverbeenused. EFTA States toreferthematterEEA Joint Commission, theJointDeclarationenablesEEA committee conflictswiththeopinionof f TheContractingPartiesundertake,inaccordancewiththeirrespectiverulesandregulations,tofacilitate (f) EFTA States,theirinstitutions,undertakings,organizations andnationalsshallhavethesamerights (e) At theprojectlevel,institutions,undertakings,organizations andnationalsofEFTA Statesshallhavethe (d) Decisions bytheCommunity, otherthanthoserelatingtothegeneralbudgetofCommunity, which (c) ThestatusoftheEFTA StatesinthecommitteeswhichassistECCommissionmanagementor (b) TheEFTA Statesshallhaveaccesstoallpartsofaprogramme. (a) programme, projectorotheraction,thefollowingprinciplesshallapply: Where cooperationtakestheformofparticipationbyEFTA StatesinanECframeworkprogramme,specific 81 Article the movementofparticipantsinprogrammeandotheractiontoextentnecessary. Member States,theirinstitutions,undertakings,organizations andnationals. obligations withregardtodissemination,evaluationandexploitationofresultsasthoseapplicableEC the activityinquestion. apply mutatismutandistoparticipantsinexchangesbetweenECMemberStatesandEFTA States,under to partnerinstitutions,undertakings,organizations andnationalsofECMemberStates. The sameshall same rightsandobligationsintheCommunityprogrammeorotheractionquestionasthoseapplicable by theEEA JointCommitteeinaccordancewith Article 86. 79(3). The termsandconditionsofthecontinuedparticipationinactivityquestionmaybereviewed EFTA Statesparticipatebyadecisionunderthis Agreement, shallbesubjecttotheprovisionsof Article affect directlyorindirectlyaframeworkprogramme,specificprojectotheraction,inwhich their participationshalltakefullaccountofthatcontribution. development ofaCommunityactivitytowhichEFTA Statesmaybecontributingfinanciallybyvirtueof Member StateoranEEA EFTA State. have thesameformalstatus,whetherfromanEU do nottakedecisionsorvote,allwhoparticipateinthem vote onproposals. As thesecommitteesareadvisoryand problems andavoidsurpriseswhentheMemberStates will conveytheircountry’s position,ifonlytopre-empt reflect theircountry’s position.Often,however, experts States, thecontributionsofexpertsdonotnecessarily official governmentrepresentativesoftheMember sectoral considerations. As theexpertsareintheorynot example, scientific,ethical,practical,judicial,or expert isexpectedtoprovideinputbasedon,for referred toasthepre-pipelinestageoflegislation. An provide theiropinionsandinsightsinwhatissometimes These groupsconsistofindependentexpertswho provide assistanceinthedraftingofnewlegislation. Expert groupsareestablishedbytheCommissionto groups Expert 21 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page22 22 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 EFTA States haveusefulexperiencetoshare. welcome, particularlyinareaswhereoneormoreEEA new laws,goodadvicefromrelevantEFTA expertsis When authorsoflegislativeproposalsareconsidering contribute toemerging EUpolicies andlegislation. stage. Italsoprovidesakeychanneltoinfluenceand to clarifyandcommunicatenationalpositionsatanearly information fromtheCommissionandmakesitpossible for theEEA EFTA States.Itgivesaccess toimportant Participation inexpertgroupsprovidesseveralbenefits experts fromtheEEA EFTA Statesin expertgroups. 99 providesthelegalbasisforparticipationof such groups;todaytherearemorethan1200. Article concluded. In1990,therewereapproximately600 has grownconsiderablysincetheEEA Agreement was The numberofexpertgroupsassistingtheCommission European CommunitiestheviewsofexpertsEFTA States. applicable tothetypeofcommitteeinvolved,ECCommission shalltransmittotheCouncilof In thecaseswhereCouncilofEuropeanCommunities isseizedinaccordancewiththeprocedure of theECMemberStates. measures theECCommissionshallrefertoexpertsofEFTA Stateson thesamebasisasitreferstoexperts which assisttheECCommissioninexerciseofitsexecutive powers.Inthisregard,whendrawingupdraft the areasconcerned,inpreparatorystageofdraftmeasures to besubmittedsubsequentlythecommittees The ECCommissionshallensureexpertsoftheEFTA Statesaswideaparticipation aspossibleaccordingto 100 Article TheContracting Partiesshallcooperateingoodfaithduringtheinformationandconsultationphasewith 4. DuringthephaseprecedingdecisionofCouncilEuropeanCommunities,inacontinuous 3. WhentransmittingitsproposaltotheCouncilofEuropeanCommunities, theECCommissionshall 2. AssoonasnewlegislationisbeingdrawnupbytheECCommissioninafieldwhichgovernedthis 1. 99 Article a viewtofacilitating,attheendofprocess,decision-takinginEEA JointCommittee. Committee atthesignificantmomentsrequestofonethem. information andconsultationprocess,theContractingPartiesconsulteachotheragaininEEA Joint Joint Committee. At therequestofoneContractingParties,apreliminaryexchangeviewstakesplaceinEEA transmit copiesthereoftotheEFTA States. way asitseeksadvicefromexpertsoftheECMemberStatesforelaborationitsproposals. Agreement, theECCommissionshallinformallyseekadvicefromexpertsofEFTA Statesinthesame equal footingtogetherwithnationalexpertsfromtheEC other things,thatEFTA experts‘willbeinvolvedonan clarify thenatureofthisparticipation.Itstates,among the Final Act ofthe Agreement (No.29)attemptsto A DeclarationoftheEuropeanCommunitiesattachedto broader pieceoflegislationthatithasintroduced. to establishsubsidiarylegislationbringintoeffect a the CouncilhasdelegatedauthoritytoCommission drafting andadoptingimplementingmeasureswhere decision making,theseassisttheCommissionin the righttovote. As describedinthechapteronEU participate incomitologycommittees,albeitwithout Under Article 100,theEEA EFTA Statescan Comitology committees 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page23 coordinated attheEEA EFTA level. individually byeachEEA EFTA Stateortheymaybe Agreement (seeabove).Commentsmaybesent procedure setoutin Article 99(1)and(3)oftheEEA programme. This isconsideredpartoftheconsultation written commentstoalegislativeproposalor the EEA Agreement, theEEA EFTA Statesprovide comments onpolicyissues.Dependingrelevanceto EU MemberStatesareoftenaskedtoprovide written contributions EEA EFTA comments and EFTA Stateshadtheright toparticipate. there were26suchcommitteesinwhichtheEEA participation inothercommittees. As ofearly2009, Article 101providesfortheEEA EFTA States’ social securityformigrantworkers. pharmaceutical matters,moneylaundering,and technical orlegalissues,suchasveterinaryand requirement foradviceoncomplexscientific, committees oftenfulfiltheCommission’s neither ofthecategoriesmentionedabove. These The Commissionconsultscommitteesthatfallinto committees Other deliberative stageoftheprocedure. the EEA EFTA Statesareraisedearlyoninthe is importantthatthepotentiallyproblematicissuesfor EFTA representativesdonotparticipateinthevote,it preparatory workofcomitologycommittees. As EEA participation inworkingsessionswhichcarryoutthe EEA EFTA participationincomitologyincludes of theECcommitteesrelevanttoacquisinquestion’. Member Statesintheworkpreparatorytoconvening . IfitappearstotheContractingPartiesthatsuchanassociationshouldbeextendedothercommittees 2. Inrespectofcommitteeswhicharecoveredneitherby Article 81norby Article 100experts fromEFTA 1. 101 Article which presentsimilarcharacteristics,theEEA JointCommitteemayamendProtocol37. relevant sectoralProtocolsand Annexes dealingwiththematterconcerned. These committeesarelistedinProtocol37. The modalitiesofsuchanassociation aresetoutinthe States shallbeassociatedwiththeworkwhenthisiscalledfor by thegoodfunctioningofthis Agreement. legislative proposal.Commentscouldalreadybe organised bytheCommissionbefore theadoptionofa often participateindividuallyinapublicconsultation submission ofcommentsismosteffective: EFTA States moments inthedecision-shapingprocesswhere comments fromtheEEA EFTA States. There arecritical Timing isthereforeoftheessenceforsuccessany substance intime. makes itachallengetodevisewrittencontributionsof comments. Deadlinesmayoftenbeveryshort,which and itmaytakesometimetofinalisethesejoint between theEEA EFTA Statesontheissueinquestion, EEA EFTA commentsarearesult ofdiscussions taken noteofbytheEEA JointCommittee. endorsed bytheStandingCommitteeandofficially Parliament andtheCouncil.EEA EFTA commentsare relevant servicesintheCommission,European appropriate subcommitteebeforebeingsenttothe help oftheEFTA Secretariat,andthenclearedbythe usually elaboratedbyEFTA workinggroupswiththe provide inputonemerging EUpolicy. These are particularly importantwayfortheEEA EFTA Statesto has passed,EEA EFTA commentsrepresenta Once theopportunityforinputatcommitteestage were submittedannually. early 2000s,whenbetween10and20comments which issomewhatlowerthaninthelate1990sand annual commentshasbeenbetweenfiveandten, 15 yearsoftheEEA.Inrecentyears,number response toCommissioninitiativesduringthefirst such EEA EFTA commentshavebeensubmittedin green paperoralegislativeproposal.Morethan100 suggestions onCommissioninitiativessuchasa about fivepageslong,andprovidescommentary A typicalEEA EFTA commentisbrief,onaverage 23 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page24 24 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 an amendingproposalbytheCommission. publication oftheproposal,andafter EFTA Statesduring theconsultationphase,after 2007, fourjointCommentsweresubmittedbytheEEA Audiovisual andMediaServicesDirectiveinDecember which startedin2003andendedwiththeadoptionof Directive. Duringthereviewprocessofthisdirective, EEA EFTA responsetothe Television Without Frontiers the policy-makingprocessinEUisillustratedby The opportunitytosubmitcommentsatvariousstagesof proposal oftheCommission. EEA EFTA commentsmaybesubmittedtoanamended discussion betweenParliamentandCouncil.Finally, account possiblerevisionstotheproposalduring EFTA commentsmaybeneededinordertotakeinto cases. Ifasecondreadingisnecessary, furtherEEA coordination withtheEUPresidencyisessentialinthese Council hasagreedonacommonposition.Good Another opportunityistosubmitcommentsbeforethe in theresponsiblecommitteeEuropeanParliament. Commission, ideallybeforethedraftreportisdiscussed soon aspossibleafteraproposalisadoptedbythe Otherwise, theEEA EFTA commentistransmittedas be ofparticularimportancetotheEEA EFTA States. submitted atthisearlystageifaproposalisconsideredto EEA EFTA officialsoutside theBerlaymont buildinginBrussels. EU institutions. the necessarysupporttowinargument withinthe opinion oftheEEA EFTA Statesmaybringoneside institutions weredivided.Ifitiswell-founded,the successful onissuesoverwhichtheopinionsofEU comments. They havealsoproventobeparticularly may evenincreasethecredibilityofEEA EFTA the lackofinstitutionalpowerEEA EFTA States broader Europeancontextaremade. To acertainextent, experience, andwhenattemptstolookattheissueina EEA EFTA Stateshasparticularexpertiseand the EUside,inparticularareaswhere(oneofthe) EEA EFTA commentsaregenerallywellreceivedon legislative proposalhasbeentabled. with suggestionsforconcretewordinglater, oncethe the waytogoforward,whereastheyaremorespecific EFTA tendtotakeamoregeneralapproach,indicating they areaddressedto.Intheconsultationphase,EEA stage ofthedecision-shapingprocessandinstitution changes. The wordingalsoneedstotakeintoaccountthe provisions, andgivegoodreasonsfortheproposed need tobeconciseandthepoint,suggestalternative Equally importantistheformatofcomments:they 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page25 in theEEA goesbeyondthescopeofthisBulletin. the EEA EFTA States tocontributedecisionshaping important, ananalysisofhowthisaffects theabilityof institutions. While theseareundoubtedlyvery channels, withtheEUMemberStatesand States Bilateral relationsbetween on newandongoingpolicyinitiativesprocesses. States, ofteninthecontextofbriefingsbyEUofficials policy positionsbetweentheEUandEEA EFTA also usedasarenasforexchangeofinformationand of newEEA actsintotheEEA Agreement. Buttheyare working groupsistoensurethesmoothincorporation main taskofthisstructuresubcommitteesand established fortheEEA provideonesucharena. The The numerousmeetingsoftheEFTA institutions of relevancetotheEEA. EFTA StatesandtheEUsideonemerging EUpolicy exchange ofviewsandinformationbetweentheEEA informal channels of theEEA Agreement, therearenumerous,more In additiontotheformaldecision-shapingmechanisms shaping channelsofdecision Other and theEUareconductedthroughnumerous and arenasallowingforan individual EEA EFTA the nextchapters. EEA, andparticipationinEU social dialogue opportunities fortheEEA EFTA countriesthrough Other importantchannelsprovidingdecision-shaping committees andMEPsintheEuropeanParliament. the transmissionofEEA EFTA commentstorelevant the chairofEFTA StandingCommitteeandMEPs,or States orjointly, forinstancethroughmeetingsbetween EFTA States. This canbedone byindividualEEA EFTA become anincreasinglyimportantchannelfortheEEA Members oftheEuropeanParliament(MEPs)have Parliament andnurturinginformalcontactswith the legislativeprocessinEU,influencing Due totheenhancedroleofEuropeanParliamentin Commission servicesdealingwiththesubjectmatter. comments areusuallyaddresseddirectlytotherelevant particular concerntoanEEA EFTA State. The more quickly, andmoreeffectively addressanissueof comments isthattheformermaybeelaboratedandsent national commentscomparedwithEEA EFTA policy-shaping process. The advantageofsending one wayfortheEEA EFTA StatestoinfluencetheEU As notedabove,nationalcommentsonEEA issuesare , the parliamentary dimension agencies , arecoveredin of the 25 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:57Page26 26 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 The newChemicalsRegulation–REACH INFLUENCED BYEFTA? STUDY:CASE REACH – three maincategories:writteninput,highlevelmeetings, The inputfromtheEEA EFTA Statescanbedividedinto challenge fortheEEA EFTA States to beheard. contents oftheRegulation.Itwasthusadifficult countries hadstrongandconflictingviewsonthe Member States,NGOs,industryassociations,andthird was longandturbulent. The EUinstitutions,the procedure leadinguptotheadoptionofRegulation by meansofawhitepaperinFebruary2001. The The CommissionlaunchedthediscussionsonREACH December 2006andenteredintoforceon1June2007. acts intheEUrecentyears.Itwasadoptedon18 one ofthemostimportantandcontroversiallegislative deadline setby theREACH regulation. 150.000 substances from 65.000companies 2008 aheadofthe1December The European (ECHA)received ChemicalsAgency pre-registration forabout [3] Regulation onRegistration, Evaluation, ofChemicals, Authorisation andRestriction OJL396, 30.12.2006, p.1. © Europeancommission-DGenterpriseandIndustryR4 [3] – hasbeen of theRegulation. having similarviews,contributedtothefinalversion the EEA EFTA States,togetherwith otherstakeholders into thediscussions.Onecanneverthelessargue that difficult tomeasuretheeffects oftheEEA EFTA input As thereweresomanystakeholdersinvolved,itis principle asabasisfortheRegulation. the Regulationitself,clausenumber16referstothis as possible. Although intheenditwasnotincluded that theirchemicalproductswouldcauseaslittleharm a generalobligationforeconomicoperatorstoensure was theintroductionofprinciple‘dutycare’, Another importantmatterfortheEEA EFTA States the REACHRegulation Articles 55,60and61. Requirements regardingsubstitutionwereincludedin with lessdangeroussubstanceswhereverpossible. to ensurethatdangeroussubstancesweresubstituted One ofthemainpointsforEEA EFTA Stateswas presentations fortheEFTA ExpertGrouponChemicals. representatives fromtheCommissionhavemadetwo guidance documentsandIT tools.Finally, efficient implementationofREACH bydeveloping Group, theaimofwhichwastoensureapracticaland REACH ImplementationProjectsunderthe Working REACH. EEA EFTA expertsalsoparticipatedinthe aims atfacilitatingthepracticalimplementationof in theCommission Working GrouponREACH,which below). ExpertsfromtheEEA EFTA Statesparticipated the MemberStatesholdingEUPresidency(seetable with Commissioners,MEPsandrelevantministersfrom Norwegian governmentthroughhigh-levelmeetings comments orletters. These werefollowedupbythe either intheformofEEA EFTA comments,bilateral and participationatexpertlevel. The writteninputwas 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page27 7My-1 uy2003 7May-10July 7Nvme 2005 17 November 3Dcme 2005 13 December 0Dcme 2006 2006 30 December 2006 18 December 13 December eebr1999 7 December 8Fbur 2002 18 February 7Fbur 2001 27 February 9Otbr2003 29 October coe 2004 October 7Jn 2006 27 June 1My2001 31 May Overview ofwritten EEAEFTAOverview input ue2008 2007 1 June 1 June pi 2005 April The Norwegian Prime discussedREACHThe Minister Norwegian inameetingwiththeEnterprise The Norwegian Minister ofEnvironment Minister The sendsletters Norwegian to theCommissioners Pre-registration begins. into force.Entry The Regulation (EC)N Adoption oftheRegulation. European Parliament opinion2 in Strasbourg. ofEnvironment Minister The metoneoftheMEPrapporteurs Norwegian ofcare).(substitution andduty ofEnvironment Minister The sentcomments Norwegian onREACH Commissioner andhiscabinet. The Council adopted itscommon position1 of Environment theirmeetinginDubai. after ofEnvironment Minister The sentletter Norwegian to theAustrian Minister Austrian ofEnvironment Minister inDubai. ofEnvironment Minister The meetswiththeAustrian Norwegian presidency, the Political agreement onthecommonpositionin theCouncil. to COP10 inMontreal. ofEnvironmentMinister metwithEnvironment Commissioner, inrelation for Enterprise andEnvironment. European Parliament opinion1 proposal andtherelated discussionsintheCouncil andtheParliament. ofEnvironment Minister The sentcomments Norwegian regarding theREACH from theBritishEUpresidency. Enterprise Commissioner for andtheMinister SustainableFarming andFood ofEnvironment Minister The hadtelephone Norwegian meetingswith ofEnvironment intheEuropean to Parliament. therapporteurs Ministry Letter onsubstitutionand “duty ofcare” oftheNorwegian from State Secretary intheEuropean Parliament.in Brusselswiththerapporteurs ofEnvironment hadseparate meetings Ministry oftheNorwegian State Secretary 2004. comments ofOctober Norwegian EEA EFTA comments ontheCommissions proposal for REACH basedonthe European Parliament. inthe comments sentto theMEPrapporteur A letter includingtheNorwegian possible improvements. comments ontheCommission proposalNorwegian for REACH suggestingfive Reply from Environment comments Commissioner of27June2003. to Norwegian The Commission adopted theproposal onREACH. REACHdraft proposal. Cover Environment letter sentby theNorwegian Minister. comments to theCommission’s Norwegian Detailed internet consultation ofthe The Commission launchedanInternet consultation onREACH. and Parliament resolution. EEA EFTA comments ontheCommission White Paper Council after conclusions EEA EFTA comments ontheCommission White Paper. future ChemicalsPolicy. The Commission publishedits White Paper ontheStrategy for a EEA EFTA comments ontheChemicalsPolicy intheEU oftheREACHHistory proposal Development ofthe REACH proposal o 1907/2006 waspublished. nd st reading. reading. st reading. Overview of Norwegian inputand highlevel meetings ofNorwegian Overview 27 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page28 28 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 product legislation. to improveandstreamlineexistingfuture marking. Italsoestablishesa‘toolbox’ ofmeasures bodies) andensureabetterprotectionoftheCE conformity assessmentbodies(so-callednotified European accreditation,enhancethequalityof including bordercontrols,strengthennationaland The NLFaimstoimprovemarketsurveillance, market fulfilthelegislativerequirements. surveillance thatverifiestheproductson National authoritiesareresponsibleforthemarket method reliesonthirdpartyconformityassessment. on theproducts. When safetyorhealthisatrisk,the products onthemarket,andaffixing theCEmarking Manufacturers areresponsibleforputtingsafe public andprivatesectors. an excellentexampleofco-regulationbetweenthe private stakeholders,thisregulatorymethodisalso ETSI). As thedevelopmentofstandardsinvolves standardisation organisations (CEN,CENELECand standards developedbythethreeEuropean detailed technicalspecificationsarelaiddownby safety, andenvironmentalrequirements, whilemore Approach, legislationsetsoutessentialhealth, regulatory methodforover20years.UndertheNew ‘New Approach’ thathasproventobeasuccessful The NLFbuildsontheexperiencesofso-called various obligationstofulfil. through importerstodistributors,allofwhomhave operators inthemarketchain,frommanufacturer NLF targets bothpublicauthorites andalleconomic products mustbewithdrawnfromthemarket. The to beappliedbypublicauthoritieswhenunsafe products ontheEuropeanmarketandprocedures improve andmodernisetheconditionsforplacing products withintheSingleMarket. The NLFwill It aimstoimprovethefreecirculationofsafe will graduallyenterintoforceby1January2010. Package, wasadoptedintheEUJuly2008and Products (NLF),previouslyknownastheGoods The NewLegalFrameworkforMarketingof THE GOODSPACKAGE STUDY:CASE recognition applyingtonon-harmonisedproducts. improve theapplicationofprinciplemutual originally proposed),andalsomerged withtheaimto (and notonlythosecoveredbytheNew Approach as cover averybroadrangeofproductsregulatedbytheEU July 2008. The scopeoftherevisionwasextendedto adopted bytheEP inFebruary2008andtheCouncil Decision, whichweresubsequentlyamendedand February 2007.ItconsistedoftwoRegulationsandone The EuropeanCommissionadopteditsproposalin direction foranupcominglegislativeproposal. knowledge andexperience,tocontributethesettingof participating atthisearlystageitispossible,through what partsoftheregulatoryframeworkneedrevision.By views onconcretedraftproposals,butratherasto Commission doesnotnecessarilyseekstakeholders’ normally, attheearlystageof such aprocess,the movement ofsafeproducts.Itisimportanttonotethat preparation forimprovedlegislationintheareaoffree Secretariat activelyfollowedtheCommission’s Over severalyearstheEEA EFTA States andtheEFTA written commentsputforwardbyEFTA. from thesideofEFTA inthemeetings,andconsiders European Commissionwelcomesactiveparticipation granted observerstatusbytheEEA Agreement. The (SOGS), inwhichthethreeEEA EFTA Statesare Group onStandardisationandConformity Assessment States andtheEFTA StatesthroughtheSeniorOfficial The EuropeanCommissionconsultedtheEUMember improving thedifferent toolsusedintheNew Approach. Enterprise inthelead,begantoreflectonneedfor In theearly2000s,EuropeanCommission,withDG to theNLF The EUprocess leading mixture ofparticipationindiscussionsand,when decision shapingoftheCommissionwillalwaysbea During alongprocesslikethis,contributingtothe The EFTA contribution 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page29 proposals intheEFTA TBT The EFTA countriesassessedtheCommission had consultedSOGSon. important issuesfromtheideasthatDGEnterprise proposals inFebruary2007differed onsome inter-service consultationsthe finalCommission out itsinternalconsultations. As aresultofthese Commission beganitsfinallegaldraftingandcarried consultations endedwhenintheautumnof2006 consultations withSOGSoverseveralyears,these Although theCommissionheldextensive States andtheircounterpartsintheEUEFTA. bilateral discussionsbetweenindividualEEA EFTA 2006. These measureswerecomplementedwith transmitted inOctober2003,June2004and April reaching theEUMemberStatesviaSOGS,were from theEEA EFTA StatestotheCommission, process. InthecaseofNLF, writtencomments appropriate, feedingwrittencommentsintothe Commission didnotalwayscorrespondtowhathad Commission’s proposals,lastminutechangesbythe although satisfiedwiththemajorityof on theproposalsatnationallevel.Itwasclearthat, submitted. Norwayconductedabroadwrittenhearing them withtheEEA EFTA commentspreviously 19 February 2008.19 February The EPadopted 2008, theNLFon21 February followed by theCouncil oftheEuropean Unionon9July 2008. Pho Commissioner Günther Verheugen introducing theNewLegal Framework ontheMarketing ofGoods(NLF)to theEuropean Parliament i [4] Technical Barriersto Trade. [4] Committee, comparing that weexplicitlydefendedin2007werekept. Furthermore, mostpartsoftheCommissionproposals written comments,wereactuallyadoptedin2008. advocated bytheEEA EFTA StatesintheJuly2007 amendments totheCommissionproposal,whichwere movement ofsafeproductsinEurope.Somethe important andbalancedcontributiontothefree a satisfactoryendresultforEFTA, asitisseenan revision attheoutset,andfinalNLFwasdeemedas EFTA contributedtosettingtherightdirectionof What didEFTA achievethroughalltheseactivities? the threeEUinstitutions. complemented bypersonalcontactswithofficials in Finally, thewrittenEEA EFTA commentswere participates bothinmeetingstheCouncilandEP. handed overtoDGEnterprise,astheCommission States. Inaddition,acopyofthecommentswasalso Secretariat, whichforwardedthemtotheEUMember forwarded inJuly2007totheEP andtheCouncil resulted inanewsetofwrittenEFTA comments, discussions intheEEA EFTA TBT Committee, procedures andtheEFTA assessment,followedupby been previouslysupportedbyEFTA. The national to: ToreN. Thomassen. n Strasbourg before thedebate on 29 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page30 30 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 what someoneelsehasproposed),mayplayanactiveroleinpolicy developmentinEurope. This studyisthereforeanexampleofhowEFTA, bybeinginthefrontof development(asopposedtoreacting conclusions areinlinewithEFTA’s supportoftheCEmarkingandsystembehindit. Another resultofthestudyisthatCommissionwilllaunchaninformationcampaignonCEmarking. These introducing aconsumersafetymarkisnotappropriateasitmightcreatemoreproblemsthancouldsolve”. Commission studyisthat“Theservicesconsiderthelegalandtechnicalanalysisshows and Markspublishedearlierthisyearprovidesabasisforcertainconclusions”. The mainconclusionfromthe several referencestofindingsintheEFTA studyandalsoacknowledgesthat“[T]heEFTA StudyonCertification entitled “FeasibilityofaconsumersafetymarksanditspossiblerelationtoCEmarking”. This papercontains 10 December2008theCommissionfinaliseditsstudy, publishedasaCommissionStaff Working Document Europe”. However, nodirectsupportforanewEuropeanconsumersafetymarkemerged fromthisworkshop.On As afollow-uptotheEFTA study, inJune2008EFTA organised aworkshopentitled“Certificationandmarksfor spring of2008,theEuropeanCommissionthenbeganitswork. safety mark. The EFTAthe studymayhavecontributedtothisconclusionbyshowingthecomplexityofissue.In a requesttotheEuropeanCommissioncarryoutanin-depthstudyonpossibilityofnewconsumer a verycomplexissuewhichdemandsproperanalysisbeforeconclusionsaremade. The debateintheEP endedwith and ourresultswereforwardedtotheEP asinputtotheirdebate. The studyshowedthatcertificationandmarkingis As ithappened,thepreliminaryresultsofEFTA studyemerged atthesametimeasMatteldiscussionbegan, other importantEuropeanstakeholders,agreedtoparticipate. out thisstudyonitsown. When EFTA establishedasteeringcommitteeforthestudy, DGEnterprise,togetherwith this idea,butforvariousreasonsitdidnotfollowupactionpointinitsIMS.In2006,EFTA decidedtocarry study onmarksinEuropeshouldbeincludedasanactionthenewIMS. The EuropeanCommissionagreedto (IMS) 2003-2006.EFTA, togetherwiththeNordicEUMemberStates,proposedtoDGInternalMarketthata same timetheEuropeanCommissionwaspreparingitsInternalMarketStrategy systemising theknowledgeonproductcertificationandmarkinginEurope. At the for manyyearsinEurope.In2001-2002,EFTA sawtheneedforbroadeningand The roleofcertificationandmarksintheinternalmarkethadalreadybeendiscussed for morecertificationandmarksingeneral. intense debateintheEP abouttheCEmarkinginparticular, andabouttheneed sibility andrecalledtheproductsfrommarket. This eventresultedinan ciencies. When Mattelfinallybecameawareoftheproblem,itassumedrespon- placed onthemarket,norhadpublicmarketsurveillancedetectedthesedefi- ered bythemanufacturer’s internalqualitycontrolbeforetheproductswere the marketbecausetheywereunsafe.Productdeficiencieshadnotbeendiscov- In 2007,UStoymanufacturerMattelwithdrewmillionsofCE-markedtoysfrom The EFTA andmarksinEurope studyoncertification 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page31 revised annually. Programmes (NRP’s), whichwouldbereviewedand States andthedevelopmentofNationalReform appointing nationalLisboncoordinatorsintheMember strengthening oftheOpenMethodCoordinationby Strategy forGrowthandJobs,thechangesentaileda for changesintheworkingmethods.Re-namedas Strategy totheEUsummitinSpring2005withproposals Commission presentedamid-termreviewoftheLisbon former Dutchprimeminister Wim Kok. The critical reportfromahighlevelgroupchairedbythe The Lisbonprocesswasrevisedinthewakeofavery education, youthandtraining. employment, socialprotectionandinclusion,research, a growingnumberofpolicyareas,including Lisbon Strategyin2000,theOMChasbeenapplied competences totheEUlevel.Sincelaunchof unwilling torelinquishfurthereconomicpolicy among MemberStatesnecessary, buttheywereandare integration process. This madegreatercoordination economic integrationandinterdependencethroughthe ‘Community method’ reflectedtheadvanceof others, theOECD. The callforanalternativetothe experiences fromsimilarmodelsusedby, among The EUbaseditsdevelopmentoftheOMCon dynamic knowledgebasedeconomyintheworld. this aimedtomaketheEUmostcompetitiveand associated withtheLisbonStrategy. Launched in2000, Amsterdam Treaty. However, theOMCismostclosely the provisionsonemploymentpolicyin The OMCwasfirstintroducedintheEU1997, obligations arenotmetbyMemberStates. method’, thereislimitedscopeforsanctionsif objectives. Incontrasttothetraditional‘Community achieving greaterconvergence towardsreachingEU of bestpracticeandinstitutionallearningthatwillhelp OMC, policygoalsaretobereachedthroughthespread order tofulfiltheobjectivesof Treaties. Underthe cooperation amongthemareregardedasimportantin are withtheMemberStates,butwheregreater The OMCisusedinareaswhichpolicycompetencies relatively recentapproachtopolicy-makingintheEU. The OpenMethodofCoordination(OMC)referstoa COORDINATION THE OPENMETHODOF 4 Country-specificrecommendations onaproposal (4) A JointEmploymentReport,whichispublished (3) Annual nationalactionplansforemploymenton (2) CommonEuropeanguidelinesand (1) EES isbasedon: Member States. The three-yearreportingcycleofthe co-ordinating theemploymentpoliciesof Strategy (EES)wasadoptedin1997withtheaimof was usedintheEU. The EuropeanEmployment policy wasthefirstareainwhichOMC competence oftheMemberStates.Employment although labourmarketpoliciesremaina a matterofcommoninteresttoEUMemberStates, market. Skilledlabourforceandthemarketis challenges withregardtoemploymentandthelabor Europe, countriesareforcedtodealwiththesame of howtheOMCisusedinEU. Throughout Employment policyprovidesanillustrativeexample to furtherenhancethelearningprocess. EU Councilcanintroducenewandimprovedguidelines States onprogress.Onthebasisofinformation, evaluated, allowingcomparisonsbetweenMember the typicalOMCcycle,resultsaremonitoredand achievement ofagreed-upontargets. Inthefinalstageof a nationalactionplanincludingtimetablesforthe measure bestpractice.EachMemberStatethendevelops and determinespecificbenchmarksindicatorsto The nextstepisfortheCommissiontodevelopstandards set ofcommonobjectiveswithinaspecificpolicyarea. features. ItstartswiththeEUCouncilfirstagreeingona across different policyareas,therearesomecommon Although theOMCisbeingappliedindifferent ways decide toissue;and by theCommission,whichCouncilmay annually; implemented; how theseguidelinesaregoingtobeusedand Member Statesemploymentpolicies; Commission andsetoutcommonprioritiesfor recommendations whichareproposedbythe 31 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page32 32 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 EEA EFTA Statesdonotparticipate.Morespecifically, an inter-governmental process in theEUwhich a large partoftheLisbonStrategyiscarriedoutthrough This representsachallengefortheEEA EFTA States,as The OMCisnotcoveredbytheEEA Agreement assuch. 5 TheCommission’s annualreviewoftheprogress (5) active andsubmitmoreapplications. PROGRESS Programme.GenerallyspeakingKari-AnnewouldencouragetheEEA EFTA Statestobemore DG Employment,Social Affairs andEqualOpportunities launchescallsfortenders/grantseveryyearunderthe EFTA States aregenerallylookedtofortheirsuccessfulpoliciesinthelabourandsocialfields. reviews makeseachmemberspecialandmorewillingtoactivelyparticipateshareexperiences. The EEA The MemberStatesseemtoappreciatethisworkingmethod. The smallnumberofcountry-participantsatthepeer income securityforpersonswithworkincapacitieswithintheframeworkofintegratedflexicurityapproaches. experience. MostrecentlyNorwayhostedapeerreviewinSeptember2008onvocationalrehabilitationand on employmentandtheelderly, afield inwhichIcelandhashadsuccessandcouldthereforecontributewithits presents aselected‘goodpractice’ tocontributeamutuallearningprocess.Icelandhostedpeerreviewin2007 employment strandofthePROGRESSprogramme.EachpeerreviewmeetingishostedbyaMemberStatewhich The EEA EFTA Statesparticipateinthemutuallearning partoftheEuropeanEmploymentStrategythrough opinions ontopics,andthereisnever‘onerightmodel’ inEurope. The OMCandemployment programmes. the implementationofM based onregularmonitoringandevaluationof made atbothnationalandCommunitylevel, taken forgrantedaccordingto Wiggen, sincecountriescan havedifferent viewsand oversee theworkdoneinMemberStatetostimulatemutuallearning. This canneverbe recommendations andtheannualjointemploymentreport. The Commission’s roleisto the MemberStatesandEuropeanCommissiononbasisofguidelines, time. InpracticetheEuropeanEmploymentStrategy(EES)isbasedondialoguebetween organizes uptosixpeerreviewsin whichamaximumof12countriescanparticipateeach Kari-Anne’s workrelatestotheOMCinemploymentfield.Everyyearherdepartment Social Affairs andEqualOpportunities Kari-Anne Magler Wiggen, nationalexpert, European Commission,DGEmployment, ember S tates’ national munications enterprisesandtheenvironment. in areassuchasresearch,employment,health,telecom - policy areascoveredbytheEEA Agreement, forinstance already participatedinOMCcyclesanumberof have successfullysoughttobeincluded,and States. Despitetheseobstacles,theEEA EFTA States at timespreventedtheparticipationofEEA EFTA legal basesonwhichtheOMChasbeenlaunchedhave Lisbon StrategyforGrowthandJobs.Furthermore,the Programmes (NRPs),oneofthekeyelements the OMCisincreasinglylinkedtoNationalReform 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page33 expected tocontinuebeofagreatvalueduringtheimplementation ofthereformsIceland’s education system. education todevelopandimprovepolicymakinginthisfield Iceland.ContinuedcooperationwiththeEUis These examplesillustratehowIcelandhasusedtheopportunities offered byitsparticipationin theOMCon introduced intheparliamentwhereitwasdebatedandadopted tookeffect from1July2006. existing lawonhighereducationinstitutions. The billwaspreparedincooperation withstakeholdersand This gaveavaluableinputintotherevisionofIceland’s educationpolicywiththepreparationof abillrevising obliged todo,i.e.deliveranationalreportonprogresstowards theLisbonobjectivesineducationandtraining. positive experiencesfromfollowingtheOMCineducationprompted IcelandtodoastheMemberStateswere develop lifelonglearningstrategiesby2006. Although theEEA EFTA Statesarenotincludedinthisprocess,the At theEUsummitin2005whichreviewedLisbonStrategy, itwasagreedthatEUMember Stateswould distributed brochure,thissucceededinraisingconsiderablytheawarenessof‘Educationand Training 2010’ inIceland. prominent stakeholdersfromtheeducationfieldinIcelandcontributedtoconference. Together withthewidely was heldinJanuary2003. The workintheOMCworkinggroupsandcommongoalswereintroducedmany publish abrochuretoconnecttheworkinIceland. The conferenceentitled‘Anenvironmenttoencouragestudy’ Training 2010’ programme. The MinistryofEducationScienceandCulturereceivedagranttoholdconference Participation intheOMConeducationalsoallowedIcelandtobenefitfromEUfundingunder‘Educationand could beusedanddisseminatedtopolicymakersstakeholders. meetings inBrusselstocomparetheworkvariousworkinggroupsanddiscusshowinformationreceived representatives havefoundtheworktobeusefulandparticipatedactively. They meetregularlybetween from theMinistryofEducation,ScienceandCulture,tookpartinallninegroups. Almost alltheIcelandic all thesubjectstobediscussedwererelevantourpolicyshaping.Icelandicrepresentatives,primarilyofficials This decisionledtoadiscussioninIcelandonthescopeofitsinvolvement,anditwassubsequentlydecidedthat Autumn 2002thattheOMCworkinggroupsoneducationwouldbeopentoparticipationofEEA EFTA States. EFTA States continuedtoinsistthattheyshouldbepartofthiswork,andwereinformedbytheCommissionin the EU’s broadobjectives,andproposeactionsforimprovementbytheendof2004.Duringthisperiod,EEA Barcelona summitinspring2002. These weretoestablishanoverviewofthestatuseducationinEurope,elaborate The eightworkinggroupsandastandinggrouponindicatorsbenchmarkswerecreatedfollowingtheEU’s clearly influencethenextgenerationofprogrammesinwhichEEA EFTA Stateswouldparticipate. work wasoutsidetheEEA agreement. The EEA EFTA sideontheotherhandmaintainedthatOMCwould the CommissionrepresentativesinformedusthatEEA EFTA Statescouldnottakepartatthisstage,as participated fullyintheEUseducationprogrammesonbasisofEEA Agreement. After somediscussions EFTA participationwouldbemutuallybeneficial,especiallyconsideringthattheEEA EFTA Statesalready decided toapproachourcontactsintheCommissionexpressinterestandtryconvincethemthatEEA was nothingintheEEA Agreement thatsecuredthisparticipation. The membersoftheEFTA Working Group in thisprocessordertobeableparticipatefullyEUcooperationthefieldofeducation,butthatthere It wasimmediatelycleartothemembersofEFTA Working Groupthatonewouldhavetobecomeinvolved Iceland andtheOMCinEducation non-European partners. learning foreveryoneandtoopentheeducationsystemsincreasedcooperationwith The aimwastoimprovequalityandefficiency ofeducationsystems,toopenlifelong the policyagreedbyEUMinistersofEducationfollowingLisbonsummitin2000. informed thattheCommissionplannedtoformeightworkinggroupsinaccordancewith that theOMCwouldbetakenupalsoinfieldofeducation. The Working Groupwas Education, Training and Youth intheautumn2001,whenaCommissionofficial informed The OpenMethodofCoordinationwasfirstraisedintheEFTA Working Groupon Sólrún Jensdóttir, MinistryofEducation,ScienceandCulture, Iceland 33 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:58 Page 34

AGENCIES

The EU has established a number of autonomous, certain formal characteristics. The main difference to decentralised bodies generally known as agencies in the executive agencies is the autonomy of the order to respond to the growing need of expertise in regulatory agencies, both in their relations with the various policy areas. They support the EU institutions Commission and in budgetary terms. by delivering legal, technical and scientific input, and by taking on administrative tasks. A draft Interinstitutional Agreement proposed by the Commission in early 2005 was meant to provide a The number of agencies has increased significantly general legal framework for future regulatory since the EEA was concluded in the early 1990s. There agencies, but was subsequently stalled in the Council.[6] are today 35 EU Agencies[5], which can be categorised The draft defined regulatory agencies as autonomous into regulatory and executive agencies. Within the legal entities set up by the legislative authority in order regulatory agencies a distinction can be made between to help regulate a particular sector at European level Community agencies in the framework of the EU’s and help implement a Community policy. ‘first pillar’, Common Foreign and Security Policy agencies within the framework of the ‘second pillar’ ‘Regulating’ in this connection does not necessarily and Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters involve the power to enact binding legal norms. Where agencies within the ‘third pillar’. Only executive a regulatory agency is invested with decision-making agencies and regulatory agencies in the ‘first pillar’ are powers, the current Community legal order imposes directly relevant to the EEA. the constraint that this must remain limited to the adoption of individual decisions in a clearly specified EEA EFTA participation in agencies has generally area of Community legislation. But regulating proven to be important for several reasons. Its activities may also involve incentive measures such as 34 participation in regulatory agencies is considered issuing recommendations, giving scientific or especially important from a decision-shaping technical advice, providing inspection reports, setting perspective. The work and expertise of the regulatory up and maintaining networks, pooling good practice agencies may form the basis of the preparatory work and knowledge, and evaluating the application and that the Commission undertakes when updating and implementation of rules. developing Community legislation. Furthermore, a regulatory agency may be entrusted with decision- There is a considerable difference in the decision- making power within the limits mentioned below. making powers attributed to the various agencies. Four EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 EFTA agencies have the capability to take decisions that are Regulatory agencies legally binding on third parties: OHIM for the registration of Community trade marks; CPVO for Regulatory agencies play a greater role than executive plant variety rights; EASA in aviation matters; and agencies in terms of decision shaping. Although not ECHA for chemical substances. Another four agencies necessarily given a formal role in decision shaping, have de facto decision-making powers: EMEA, EFSA, regulatory agencies could be seen as a new policy- EMSA and ERA. These assist the Commission in making instrument. In highly specialised and technical highly technical or scientific matters by providing it fields, the Commission, along with other EU with advice and recommendations or by performing institutions and the EU Member States, might rely on inspections. The Commission leans heavily on the the expertise of regulatory agencies as a basis for their agency’s expertise when it is required to make a decision making. decision. In practice, the Commission is almost always inclined to follow the agency’s conclusions.[7] In contrast to executive agencies, there is currently no general legal framework for regulatory agencies. The EEA EFTA States currently participate in ten However, the existing regulatory agencies all share regulatory agencies through the EEA Agreement.

[5] http://europa.eu/agencies/index_en.htm. [6] COM(2005) 59. A new Communication on the way forward for European agencies was published in March 2008, with the aim of re-launching the debate on mainly regulatory agencies. The Commission suggests the establishment of an Inter-institutional Working Group to develop a common understanding concerning regulatory agencies, followed up by an instrument giving form to the conclusions of the Working Group. [7] See CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) Working Paper No. 19/October 2008. 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:58 Page 35

Regulatory agencies in which the EEA EFTA States participate [8]

EMEA European Medicine Agency ECHA European Chemicals Agency EMSA European Maritime Safety Agency EASA European Aviation Safety Agency ERA European Railway Agency ENISA European Network and Information Security Agency EEA European Environment Agency CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training EUROFOUND European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions ECDC European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control EFSA European Food Safety Authority

EEA EFTA participation entails not only a financial management of Community programmes. An contribution to the agencies, but normally provides for executive agency may be entrusted with any tasks representation of the EEA EFTA States on the required to implement a Community programme, management board, although without the right to vote. except for those involving discretionary powers in Beyond this, participation could also involve EEA translating political choices into action. The close EFTA participation in certain committees or other relationship between executive agencies and the bodies of the agencies, the eligibility of EEA EFTA Commission is also reflected in the fact that the seat of executive agencies must be located in the same place nationals to the Board of Appeal of an agency, the as the Commission and its departments. employability of EEA EFTA nationals as temporary staff in the agencies, and in certain cases a duty of the A general legal framework for executive agencies has agencies to assist the Standing Committee of the EFTA been established by Council Regulation (EC) 35 States, the EFTA Surveillance Authority and/or the No. 58/2003 of 19 December 2002, based on which the EEA EFTA States in the same way as they assist the Commission has so far adopted six Decisions setting EU institutions and the EU Member States. up executive agencies in various fields. The EEA EFTA States participate in five of the six agencies.[9] Executive agencies: managing The financial means for an executive agency are Community programmes directly drawn from the financial allocation to the EU

programme(s) which they manage. As such, the EEA BULLETIN 1-2009 EFTA Executive agencies are set up by the European EFTA States contribute financially to those executive Commission to carry out, under its control and agencies which are related to programmes in which the responsibility, certain tasks relating exclusively to the EEA EFTA countries participate.

Executive agencies

EACI Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation

EACEA Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

EAHC Executive Agency for the Health and Consumers

ERC European Research Council Executive Agency

REA Research Executive Agency

TEN-T EA Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency

[8] The EEA Joint Committee Decision on EEA EFTA participation in EFSA has not yet entered into force. [9] The EEA EFTA States do not participate in the TEN-T EA. 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page36 36 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 [10] http://ec.europa.eu/transport/marcopolo/ could alsobeusefulforthepurposeofdevelopingprojectsthatcan applyforfundingbyEUprogrammes. States shouldalsoliaisewithotherEUMemberStates,bothfor the purposeofmakingtheirvoiceheard,butthis of theirnationalexperts,beingactiveinthecommitteesorparticipating inpublicconsultations. The EEA EFTA Anne concludesthattheEEA EFTA Statesshouldtake theopportunitiesavailabletothem–whethermakinguse could alsobeappointedbyEACIfortheannualevaluationofsubmittedprojectsiftheyaredulyregistered. proposals isperformedbyexternalexperts,anditherethatindependentexpertsfromtheEEA EFTA States channel theiropinionsandgetvoiceheard.Partoftheevaluationprojectssubmittedinayearlycallfor often sharethesameinterestasEUMemberStatesinCommittee,andtheycanthenusethisactivelyto EEA EFTA Stateshavespeakingrightsinthiscommittee, butnottherighttovote.HoweverEEA EFTA States discuss subjectssuchasnewcallsforproposals,potentialproposalsandtheMarcoPoloprogrammeitself. The The EEA EFTA StatesarerepresentedintheMarcoPolo ManagementCommittee,whichmeetstwiceayearto in theEEA EFTA Stateshavesofar notresultedinanincreaseapplicationsfromtheEEA EFTA countries. due toalackofknowledgeEUapplicationprocesses.Efforts bytheEACItoraiseawarenessofprogramme According to Anne, thelownumberofapplicationsfromcompaniesinEEA EFTA countriescouldbepartly EEA EFTA participationinthisprogramme. only oneprojectwheretheco-ordinatorcomesfromanEEA EFTA country, thescopeclearlyexistsforenhancing applications fromcompaniesintheEEA EFTA StatesundertheMarcoPoloprogramme.Currently, asthereis to businesseshelpthemmakethemostofopportunitiesinEuropeanUnion. There havenotbeenmany Enterprise EuropeNetworkhaslocalcontactpointswithinbothNorwayandIcelandthatoffer supportandadvice just haditsfirstcallforproposalsinwhichenterprisesfromtheEEA EFTA Stateswerewelcometoapply. The programme andcontributetoseveraloftheprojectsfundedbythisprogramme. The Eco-innovationschemehas well astheEnterpriseEuropeNetwork. The EEA EFTA StatesareactiveparticipantsintheIntelligentEnergy The EACImanagesthreedifferent fundingschemes–IntelligentEnergy, Eco-innovation,andMarcoPolo –as the negotiationandmonitoringofprojectproposals. preparation, promotion,andfollow-upoftheMarcoPoloannualcallscontributingactivelytoevaluation, providing supportandcoachingtotheprojectofficers intheMarcoPoloteam.Sheisalsoinvolved Her mainfunctionsaretocontributethemanagementandcoordinationofMarcoPoloprogrammes, Executive agencies andtheMarco Polo programme working withMarcoPolo. transferred toEACIin2008,sheobtainedapositionthere,allowinghercontinue before workingfortheCommissioninDG TREN ontheprogramme. When itwas She hadalreadybeeninvolvedwiththeEEA andEUtransportpolicyinvariouscapacities environmental performanceofthefreighttransportsysteminEurope,sinceitsinception. Anne hasbeeninvolvedwiththeMarcoPoloprogramme,whichaimstoimprove Executive Agency forCompetitivenessandInnovation (EACI) Anne Bårseth, HeadofSectorProject Management Marco Polo, [10] 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page37 parliamentarians mayuseanddevelopnational the EuropeanParliament.Inaddition,EFTA only formallinkbetweentheEEA EFTA Statesand EFTA parliamentarians. The EEA JPCconstitutesthe the principaldecision-shapingforumavailableto established throughtheEEA Agreement, provides The EEA JointParliamentaryCommittee(JPC) involved intheearlyphasesoflegislativeprocess. the EFTA parliamentariansalsoaimtobemore number ofactorsbeinginvolvedinEUpolicymaking, phase aswellthetendencytowardsanincreasing the EuropeanParliamentinEUdecision-shaping In recognitionoftheimportanceroleplayedby treaty revisionsundertakensincethen. EU Council–tonewpolicyareasthroughthethree approved bytheEuropeanParliamentaswell procedure –wherebylegislativeproposalsmustbe principally duetotheextensionofco-decision gained inimportancesincetheearly1990s. This is The parliamentarydimensionoftheEEA hassteadily link betweenpoliticallifeintheEUandEFTA. in theEuropeanUnion,Committeealsoservesasa States. Through itscooperation withparliamentarians forum formembersofparliamenttheEEA EFTA The ParliamentaryCommitteeistheconsultative dimension The parliamentary steadily gainedinsignificancerecentyears. consultative bodiesfortheEEA EFTA Stateshave institutionalised. Their roleandinfluenceas Committee andtheEuropeanParliament,were counterparts ontheEUside,EconomicandSocial relations betweentheCommitteesandtheir With theentryintoforceofEEA Agreement, trade andEFTA affairs, andsince1994,ontheEEA. have providedinputandsuggestionsoninternational established bytheEFTA Ministers.Sincethenthey their originsbacktotheearly1960swhentheywere Committee andtheParliamentaryCommittee,trace EFTA’s twoadvisory bodies, theConsultative ADVISORY BODIES THE ROLEOF THE EFTA [11] The JPCcomprises 24voting members–12from theEEAEFTA parliamentsand12MEPs inEuro –from theentire politicalspectrum [11] , respective governmentsonEEA matters. mechanisms toinfluencethepositionoftheir • resolutions on,include: parliamentarians haveraised,debatedandpassed EEA-relevant. RecentexamplesoftopicsthatEFTA keeping aneyeonnewinitiativesthatcouldbecome Committee hasbecomeincreasinglyforward-looking, adopted intheEU.However, inrecentyearsthe developments andlegislationthathasalreadybeen the EEA JPCmeetingshasbeendevotedtopast During thepast15years,bulkofdeliberationsin the EUthatmayaffect theEEA inthelongrun. functioning oftheEEA andexploringdevelopmentsin EEA. This includesaddressingissuesrelatedtothe the EFTA Statesonanymatterofrelevancetothe developments intheEEA andexpressesitsviewsto As aconsultativebody, theEEA JPCmonitors Committee The EEAJointParliamentary • • • • in Brusselson4November 2008. Meeting oftheEEAJoint Parliamentary Committee intheEuropean Parliament Europe’s HighNorthandenvironmentalissues. The EUfuturemaritimepolicyandtheEEA; the EEA; Energy andclimatechangethe implicationsfor The OpenMethodofCoordinationandtheEEA; Health servicesintheEEA; pe. 37 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page38 38 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 mechanisms; settinguptheirownoffices inthe shaping, includingtheintroductionofearlywarning possible waystostrengthentheirroleinEEA decision process. EFTA parliamentarianshavediscussed parliaments oftheEUinpolicy-making mirror theincreasinginvolvementofnational The institutionalarrangementoftheEEA doesnot the EuropeanParliament. and bymaintainingformalinformalnetworksin exchanging informationandcooperatinginCOSAC Parliament byestablishingoffices there,by by increasingtheirinteractionwiththeEuropean then, EUnationalparliamentshavetakenfurthersteps such proposalscouldbeadoptedbytheCouncil.Since parliaments andintroducedasix-weekdelaybefore transmit legislativeproposalsdirectlytonational parliaments byobligingtheEuropeanCommissionto The Amsterdam Treaty reinforcedtheroleofnational EEA EFTA national parliaments relations withtheEuropeanParliament. development oftheEEA bystrengtheningtheir national parliamentstoenhancetheirroleinthe highlighted possiblewaysfortheEEA EFTA preparing areportonthesubject. This undertaking in theEUsinceEEA enteredintoforce,by Economic Area, reflectingonthestructuralchanges on thefutureperspectivesforEuropean In 2007and2008theEEA JPCfocuseditsattention EFTA Stateshaveahighinterest. the aimofraisingprofileissuesinwhichEEA Commissioners andCommissionrepresentativeswith The Committeehasalsoaddressedtheseissueswith [12] Mr SveinRoaldHansen,whowasthereport’s co-rapporteuralongwiththe Austrian MEP, MrPaulRübig. Joint Parliamentary Committeeasanimportanttoolforconsensusbuilding intheEEA’, an earlystage. Ibelieve thatthisgoeshandinwiththeambitionsofCommittee members whoview the that theEEAJPChashadasubstantivecontribution toapolicyarea which wasstillaworkinprogress, atsuch principles andthatasufficient supplyofhealthservicesismaintainedinscarcely populated areas. Itisnotoften important issuessuch asthefactthatcross-border healthservicesshouldnotunderminenationalvaluesand ‘I amparticularlypleasedthatwe, theEFTA MPs,andourEuropean Parliament colleagues saweye toeye on to reachconsensusonaresolutiontexttheimportanceofcross-border healthservicesforcitizensintheEEA. parliaments andtheEuropeanParliamentheldaheateddebateon manyofthecontroversialissuesbutmanaged the EuropeanCommissionintroduceditswhitepaperon same subject.MembersoftheEFTA national At its30 intheEEA EEA JPCResolutiononhealthservices The Conference ofCommunity andEuropean Affairs Committees ofParliaments oftheEuropean Union. th anniversary meeting,theCommitteeadoptedaresolutiononhealthservicesinEEA,monthsbefore [13] Recent examplesofsuchadviceincludesresolutions businesses andworkersintheEEA EFTA States. for legislationorpoliciescouldaffect industry, gives itsviewsandadviceonhownewEUproposals partners higherontheEEA agenda. The Committee and seekstobringissuesofconcernthesocial authorities onsocialandeconomicissuesintheEEA The ConsultativeCommitteeadvisestheEFTA to theEEA Agreement. recommendations totheEFTA authoritieswithregard developments intheEEA andconveysits the Committeerequestsinformationaboutlatest Ambassadors totheEUonceayear. Inthesemeetings, with EFTA MinisterstwiceayearandwiththeEFTA functioning anddevelopmentoftheEEA andmeets expresses itsviewsonmattersofrelevanceforthe link betweensocialpartnersinEFTA andintheEU.It organisations intheEFTA countries and servesasa representatives oftradeunionsandemployers’ The EFTA ConsultativeCommitteecomprises EFTA andtheEEA Social andeconomic dialoguein the EEAandEU inEFTA,The socialpartners enters intoeffect. and likelybeintensifiedifwhentheLisbon Treaty European Parliament. These discussionswillcontinue, national parliamentsandtheirsisterpartiesinthe between politicalpartygroupsintheEEA EFTA European Parliamentandtheestablishmentoflinks says theNorwegianMP, 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page39 which thenfeedintothepolicyprocessinEU. sometimes invitedtocontributewrittenopinions Through thiscooperationtheEFTA socialpartnersare and theEFTA Consultative Committeetonewpartners. EU, togatherinformation,andpresentEFTA, theEEA EFTA social partnerstonetworkwithcolleaguesinthe committees withCroatiaand Turkey. This allowsthe also followtheworkofEU’s jointconsultative the singlemarket,andsustainabledevelopment,they permanent EESCobservatoriesontheLisbonStrategy, BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP, andETUC. Dialogue throughtheirEuropeanumbrellaorganisations social partnersparticipateactivelyintheSocial the socialpartnersatEuropeanlevel. The EEA EFTA form ofregularmeetingsbetweentheCommissionand social andemploymentpolicy. The dialoguetakesthe EU levelandcaninfluencelegaldecisionsinthefieldof the socialpartnersparticipateinpoliticaldiscussionsat The EUSocialDialogueisanimportantplatformwhere level negotiations Social DialogueandEuropean makers: aspolicy Social partners participate throughthe Currently, EFTA ConsultativeCommitteemembersalso new proposalsordevelopments. representatives andtrytoinfluencetheoutcomeof specific interestandconcerntotherelevantEU dialogue theEFTA socialpartnerscanpresentissuesof European Commissionandotherbodies. Through this EEA Councilandholdsexchangesofviewswiththe Consultative Committeesubmitsresolutionstothe partner cooperation.Meetingonceayear, theEEA large tradingblocsallowforsuchstructuredsocial the EEA Agreement. Fewotherrelationshipsbetween a verystructuredrelationshipwithclearlegalbasisin brings socialpartnersin30memberstatestogether The and tosocialpartnersintheEEA EFTA States. side onnewpolicyinitiativesofrelevancetotheEEA social partnersalsoparticipateindebatesontheEU Economic andSocialCommittee(EESC),theEFTA Through itsclosecooperationwiththeEuropean and theimpactofnewtreatychangesonEEA. social andlabourmarketpolicymigration, Mechanisms, energy andenvironmentallegislation, Strategy, theEEA andNorwegianFinancial on developmentsinthesinglemarketandLisbon [13] established to intheEEA. enhance relations between socialpartners and SocialCommittee (EESC)andvice versa. This cooperation isreferred to asthe “osmosis” procedure intheEFTA CC Rulesof In theframework oftheEuropean Economic Area, representatives oftheEFTA Consultative Committee (EFTA CC) in may participate EEA ConsultativeCommittee osmosis procedure is uniqueinthatit [13] in be admittedasmembers. organisation whetherEEA EFTA represen tatives can association rules.Itthereforedependsoneach Dialogue areautonomousandhavetheirown The Europeanorganisations thattakepartintheSocial negotiations tothesameextentastheirEUcolleagues. organisations mayinpractice participateinthese partners thataremembersoftheEuropeanumbrella having legalrightstoparticipate,theEEA EFTA social procedural texts,andfollow-upreports. Although not conduct, andpolicyorientations),jointopinions, texts (frameworksofaction,guidelinesandcodes The SocialDialoguealsoproducesprocess-oriented the EUdecision-makingbodies. including theEEA EFTA socialpartners–ratherthan question isdeterminedbythesocialpartners– partners. Thus, thecontentofEUlegislationin the contentofagreementsnegotiatedbysocial Neither theCommissionnorCouncilmaychange becomes partofEUlaw. through aCouncildecisionwherebytheagreement (‘autonomous agreements’),orbylegislativecourse, agreements inaccordancewithnationalpractice either bythevoluntaryroute,throughcollective conditions andlabourlaw, andthenimplementthem European agreementsconcerningemployment right ofthesocialpartnerstoconcludelegallybinding A keyfeatureoftheSocialDialogueistreaty-based with theirmeetingon14-16May 2008. archipelagosion ontheNorwegian Svalbard Ocean, intheArctic inconnection reflected inthework oftheConsultative Committee, here onanexcur- pictured hasrisenonthepoliticalagendainEuropeThe HighNorth inrecent years. This is thework oftheEuropean Economic Procedure (Art. 17)and has been 39 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07-2:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 3/03/0913:52Page40 40 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 in anyway, butinrealitytheCommissionnormally the consultationsarenotbindingforCommission legislative initiativesatanearlystage. The resultsof areas dominatedby‘softlaw’,ortoexplorepossible The informalconsultationsaresofarmostlyusedin the EUMemberStates,norforEEA EFTA States. also notnecessarilyfullyopentotheparticipationofall are notanticipatedbytheEEA Agreement andtheyare Health, andtheCultureCivilSocietyplatforms. These such astheEUPlatformonDiet,Physical Activity and stakeholders throughso-calledplatformsfordiscussions, increasingly, informalconsultations withselected policy statementssuchaswhitepapers;and, documents rangingfromgreenpaperstomoredefinitive hearings, andworkshops;thepublicationofconsultation consultation toolsareused,includingconferences, to thediscretionofCommission. A numberof consultations shouldberun,andinpracticemuchisleft since 2003donotdescribeindetailhowthe The Commissionguidelinesonconsultationsapplied new legislationisputforward. also topublishimportantdocumentsbeforeanymajor Commission toconsultthestakeholderswidelyand have becomecompulsory. The treatyrequiresthe Amsterdam Treaty, consultationswithstakeholders common. Since1999,withtheentryintoforceof Stakeholder consultationshavebecomeincreasingly in theEEA Agreement. Dialogue partnersdescribedabove,thisisnotreflected process intheUnion.However, apartfromtheSocial stakeholders tocontributethepolicy-making channels, bothformalandinformal,thatallow idea oraninitiativetoadecisionincludesnumerous The oftenlongandbumpyprocessintheEUfroman NGOs, andcanbefoundthroughouttheentireEEA. offices, business,industry, privateinterestgroupsand can formallyadoptdecisions. These includeregional influenced byactorsotherthantheEUinstitutionsthat the EUareshaped. The outcomeisusuallyalso does notfullycapturehowandbywhomdecisionsin A descriptionoftheformaldecision-makingprocess OTHER ACTORS STAKEHOLDERS AND privileged positionamongstakeholders,astheyare other Europeanregions. The advisorybodiesenjoya organisations andthroughdirectcooperationwith effective alliesinmiscellaneousumbrella shaping. Similarly, manyEEA EFTA regionshave the regionsofEEA EFTA countriesindecision and regionalauthorities. The CoRcouldbeofvalueto (CoR), whichismadeupofrepresentativeslocal mentioned above,andtheCommitteeofRegions bodies, theEuropeanEconomicandSocialCommittee The Commissionisalsoassistedbytheadvisory country orregion. that coversallofEuropeiseasierthanjustasingle when theyseekadvice.Representinganorganisation Commission andtheParliamentaremoreselective that withlarge numbersof lobbyists inBrussels,the improves thelikelihoodofbeingheard.Itisalsoafact European organisations to speakonone’s behalf rely onEuropeanumbrellaorganisations. Gettingpan- EEA Agreement. Manyofthestakeholderscanalso through channelsotherthanthosemadepossiblebythe often haveaccesstoEUdecisionmakersandshapers decision-making processintheEUinstitutionsand headquarters, othersworkactivelytoinfluencethe back totheirrespectivehomecountriesor stakeholders focusmainlyonbringinginformation also influencestheirambitions. Whereas some available tothemareobviouslyakeyelement,which policy variesaccordingtomanyfactors. The resources The actualinfluenceofstakeholdersinshapingEU internally andtowardstheParliament. promote newstrategies,directivesandregulations business itmightalsobeeasierfortheCommissionto system. With thesupportfromcivilsocietyand ease thecriticismofdemocraticdeficitinEU transparent. Politically, supportfromcivilsocietycan processes andtomaketheinstitutionsmore can alsobeseenasanattempttoopenuptheinternal the earlieststageofdecision-shapingprocess. They among civilsociety, industryandtheMemberStatesat the Commissionopportunitytogathersupport accept. These kindsofstakeholderconsultationsgive tries tofindacompromisethatthestakeholderscan 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07-2:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 3/03/0913:52Page41 makes itasinfluentialpossible.Havingaclose challenge istopromotetheopinioninawaythat have agreedonanEEA EFTA comment,the EEA EFTA countries. When theEEA EFTA States new opportunitiesfornon-governmentalactorsinthe challenge fortheEEA EFTA States,andprovides structured andformalisedmanneralsorepresentsa involved inEUdecisionshapinganincreasingly The growingnumberofexternalactorsthatare competencies iftheLisbon Treaty isratified. although theadvisorybodieswillenhancetheir concluded isa‘wateringdown’ ofthisposition, that hastakenplacesincetheEEA Agreement was extension andformalisationoftheconsultationprocess albeit inaconsultativerole.Oneconsequenceofthe part ofthedecision-makingmachineryEU, together stakeholders from bothpublicand private sector, andincluded “best practice” examples introduced from by EEA experts EFTA welcomes ofanEEAdecision-shapingseminarorganised Kåre Secretary-General at theparticipants Bryn theEFTA Secretariat EFTA Statesdonothaveaccess. EEA EFTA opinionstothearenaswhereEEA of EEA EFTA positions;itcouldalsohelppromote exchange ofinformationandfacilitatesthediffusion relationship withthesestakeholderspromotesthe has avoiceinthematterquestion. A good of anNGO,businessortheregionaloffice thatalso States arealigned,partlyorinwhole,withtheview It oftenturnsoutthattheinterestsofEEA EFTA helpful whenadvocatinganEEA EFTA comment. offices, NGOsandtheprivatesectorcanthereforebe relationship withdifferent stakeholderslikeregional EFTA States. on 9 December 2008. on9December The seminarbrought 41 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/0916:58Page42 42 EFTA BULLETIN 1-2009
can beimprovedontheEEA EFTA side: of tipsandrecommendationsonhowtheparticipation The debatesattheseminarsconcludedwithanumber was concludedintheearly1990s. of newformsgovernanceintheEUsinceEEA on howtheprocesshasbeenaffected bytheemergence which tookplaceon9December2008,concentrated The secondseminarondecisionshapingintheEEA, Agreement. various committeesprovidedforintheEEA 2002, thisseminarfocusedonparticipationinthe line withtheEFTA Bulletinondecisionshapingfrom first suchseminartookplaceon11 November2005.In targeting practitionersintheEEA EFTA States. The been organised attheEFTA Secretariat inrecentyears, Two seminarsondecisionshapingintheEEA have


SHAPERS ADVICE FORDECISION the nationalpointofview, ifcalledupontodoso. difficult foranexperttoinformacommitteeabout agencies. Turf battlesbetweenoffices canmakeit governments, departmentsorevensubordinate from poorcoordinationofpolicyissueswithintheir hand. ExpertsfromEEA EFTA States maysuffer advance oftheessentialissuesandquestionsat Commission cannormallyinformyouwellin discussion materials,yourcontactsatthe Even iftheCommissionislateindistributing assimilate allrelevantviewsbeforeyoutravel. needs totakeintoaccount. Commission is,themorepoliticalconsiderationsit Secondly, thefurtherintodrafting processthatthe for relevantinformationintheveryearlystages. limited resourcesanddependsuponexternalagents beginning ofthepolicyprocess. The Commissionhas positions shouldbedevelopedandtransmittedatthe national positionis. expert opiniononthematter, andfindoutwhatthe before theflighttoBrussels.Consideryourown Be issue. Acquaint yourselfwiththe Be well Hold early coordination . Goodtimingisessential,andpolicy prepared meetings beforeyoutravel,and . Readbackgroundmaterials political aspects of the









EFTA officials andexperts. cases bemorethanwillingtotalkwithrelevant one dossieratanygiventime,andwillinmost there areusuallyonlyafewofficials workingon While thismayatfirstglanceappeardaunting, Commission Establish good Establish to learnabouttheEEA andBrussels. Committees askindergartens fornoviceswhoneed a turntogoBrussels. Avoid usingEU Avoid thetemptationtogiveeveryoneinoffice same expertsforyearstoEUadvisorycommittees. reputation inacommittee.Somecountriessendthe Give expertssufficienttime delegations thatshareyourviews. the ongoingdiscussionsandmakereferencesto prepared contributions.Connectyourremarksto Speak withauthority solutions. consensus-oriented Do notjusttalkabout‘whatwedoathome’.Be presentations briefandtothepoint. gravitas tohaveaninfluence,andmake meetings carefully, sendexpertswithsufficient Quality rather thanquantity Comments thatleadto institutions andwithrelevantstakeholders. in usinganddevelopingcontactsallEU effective, itisnecessarytobeflexible andcreative formal andinformalchannels.Inordertobe involved inthepolicy-shapingprocessthroughboth Be tactics forpromotingcommonlyheldpositions. mingle withfellowcommitteeparticipants,anddiscuss position Find required. Commission, andsendinwrittencommentsif Participate instudiesandsurveys colleagues fromfully-fledgedEUMemberStates. valuable inputunnecessarily, indeference totheir provide usefulinput.EFTA expertsmaysuppress always popular. Beconfidentofyourrightto authorities andstakeholderorganisations concerned. flexible countries thatshare your expertor national . Ratherthanshoppingduringlunchbreaks, national contactgroups . Newactorsarebecomingincreasingly hierarchy, andinotherdelegations. contacts and provideconstructive , andtrynottoreadout constructive is thekey. Choose to builduptheir throughout the with themain solutions are by the 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:58 Page 43 2182-BULLETIN-2009-07:1897-THIS-IS-EFTA-24 27/02/09 16:58 Page 44

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an international organisation comprising four states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which have eliminated barriers amongst themselves for industrial products but do not apply a common external tariff. Apart from Switzerland, the EFTA States base their relations with the European Union on the European Economic Area Agreement allowing for their participation in the single market. Switzerland’s relations with the EU are based on bilateral agreements. The EFTA States have developed an extensive network of free trade agreements with non-EU countries and regional groupings in Europe and beyond. EFTA has headquarters in Geneva and offices in Brussels and Luxembourg.

The EFTA Bulletin is intended to serve as a platform for discussion and debate on topics of relevance to European integration as well as the multilateral trading system. In this endeavour, the EFTA Bulletin draws on the experience and expertise of academics, professionals and policy-makers alike.

Previous Issues:

• Guide to EU Programmes (2007-2013), 2-2007 November • Structural Indicators - Growth and Jobs: The Lisbon Strategy and the EFTA States, 1-2007 June • EFTA Free Trade Relations, 2-2006 July-August • Growth and Jobs: The Lisbon Strategy and the European Economic Area, 1-2006 March • EFTA and EU Enlargement, 1-2004 September • The European Economic Area and the Internal Market – Towards 10 Years, 1-2003 June • Activities and Financial Contributions under the EEA Agreement, 2-2002 November • The European Economic Area: Decision Shaping and Participation in Committees, 1-2002 June • Opportunities in an Enlarged Europe: EFTA Parliamentary Committee Conference on EFTA-EU Relations and Enlargement, 2-2001 November • The Updated EFTA Convention, 1-2001 September • New Economy – New Borders: EFTA Consultative Committee Business Workshop, 3-2000 December • Special Relationship: EFTA and the European Community as Actors in European Free Trade, 2-2000 October • EFTA: 40 Years of Free Trade, 1-2000 September ISBN 978-92-990042-3-4