During the working visit, the EFTA/EU Delegation would like to get an idea of the European policy debate in the EFTA partner country Norway. The delegation is particularly interested in the work of an independent committee to assess the experiences of EEA cooperation set up by the Norwegian government in May 2022.
The committee’s mission is to study Norway's experience with the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement over the last ten years. In its analysis, it will address issues including the importance of the EU internal market for the Norwegian economy, the effects of the free movement of persons on the local labour market and working conditions, the social acceptance of EEA membership, and Norway's room for manoeuvre in implementing EEA law. The EEA inquiry committee consists of seven representatives from Norwegian trade unions, business associations, academia and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities of Municipalities. An investigation report should be available by the end of 2023.
During their visit to Norway, the EFTA/EU Delegation will meet with the Chair of the EEA inquiry committee, Line Eldring, and two other members of the committee. It will also hold talks with the Chair of the Norwegian Parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide, the Chair of the Norwegian Delegation to the EFTA and EEA Parliamentary Committees, Trine Lise Sundnes, and the State Secretary to the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eivind Vad Petersson. These talks will also address the cooperation between Norway and the EU in the field of energy and the ongoing negotiations on the renewal of Norway's contribution to reducing social and economic disparities in the EU (EEA/Norway Grants). Finally, the delegation will also meet with representatives of the Norwegian social partners for an exchange on socio-political issues in the context of the free movement of persons.
The EFTA/EU Delegation will be led by its president, Council of States member Benedikt Würth (The Centre, SG), who will be accompanied by the delegation's vice president, National Council member Thomas Aeschi (SVP, ZG), National Council members Hans-Peter Portmann (FDP, ZH) and Nicolas Walder (The Greens, GE), and Council of States member Carlo Sommaruga (SP, GE).