Belarus And The Eea: What's The Deal?

The European Economic Area (EEA) is an international agreement that enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EEA includes all 27 EU member states, as well as three of the four EFTA states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. These three EFTA states are thus able to participate in the EU's single market without being members of the EU or the European Union Customs Union. Belarus is not a member of the EEA.

The EEA includes 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

The European Economic Area (EEA) is an international agreement that enables the extension of the European Union's (EU) single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EEA was established on 1 January 1994 and currently has 30 member countries.

The EEA includes 27 EU countries, which are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. In addition to these EU countries, the EEA also includes three of the four EFTA states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. These three countries are members of the EEA but not the EU, and their participation in the EEA allows them to be part of the EU's single market.

Switzerland is the fourth EFTA country, but it is not a member of the EEA. However, Switzerland has a set of bilateral sectoral agreements with the EU that allow it to participate in the internal market. As a result, Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.

The EEA was established through the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which enables the extension of the EU's single market to EFTA member states. This agreement was signed on 2 May 1992 and entered into force on 1 January 1994. The EEA aims to strengthen trade and economic relations between its member countries and allows for the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital within the European single market. It also includes provisions for input from the EEA/EFTA countries during the EU legislative procedure, allowing these countries to influence and contribute to new EEA policies and legislation.

The EEA was established in 1994

The European Economic Area (EEA) was established on 1 January 1994 through the Agreement on the European Economic Area. This international agreement enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EEA links the EU member states and three of the four EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) into an internal market governed by the same basic rules. These rules facilitate the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital within the European single market, including the freedom to choose a residence in any country within this area.

The EEA Agreement is a commercial treaty that differs from the EU Treaties in certain key respects. Notably, it does not include the Common Agricultural Policy or the Common Fisheries Policy. The right to free movement of persons between EEA member states is identical to those applying between members of the EU. The EEA Agreement specifies that membership is open to member states of either the EU or EFTA. EFTA states that are party to the EEA Agreement participate in the EU's internal market without being members of the EU or the European Union Customs Union. They adopt most EU legislation concerning the single market but exclude laws related to the Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy.

The EEA's "decision-shaping" processes allow EEA EFTA member states to influence and contribute to new EEA policies and legislation from an early stage. When the EEA was established in 1994, there were 17 states and two European Communities: the European Community (later absorbed into the EU's wider framework) and the now-defunct European Coal and Steel Community. As of 2020, there are 30 EEA member states: 27 EU members and three of the four EFTA members. The EEA Agreement is applied provisionally to Croatia, pending ratification by all EEA parties. One EFTA member, Switzerland, has not joined the EEA but has bilateral sectoral agreements with the EU that allow it to participate in the internal market.

The EEA is governed by the EU and the EEA EFTA countries

The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the Agreement on the European Economic Area, an international agreement that extends the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EEA links the EU member states and three of the four EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) into an internal market governed by the same basic rules. These rules aim to enable the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital within the European single market, including the freedom to choose a residence in any country within this area.

The EEA Agreement is a commercial treaty that differs from the EU Treaties in certain key respects. According to Article 1, its purpose is to "promote a continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relation". The EFTA members do not participate in the Common Agricultural Policy or the Common Fisheries Policy. The right to free movement of persons between EEA member states and the relevant provisions on safeguard measures are identical to those applying between members of the EU. The right and rules applicable in all EEA member states, including those that are not members of the EU, are specified in Directive 2004/38/EC and in the EEA Agreement.

The EEA Agreement specifies that membership is open to member states of either the EU or EFTA. EFTA states that are party to the EEA Agreement participate in the EU's internal market without being members of the EU or the European Union Customs Union. They adopt most EU legislation concerning the single market, with notable exclusions, including laws regarding the Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy. The EEA's "decision-shaping" processes enable EEA EFTA member states to influence and contribute to new EEA policies and legislation from an early stage. Third-country goods are excluded for these states on rules of origin.

The EEA Joint Committee, composed of representatives of the EU and the three EEA EFTA states, examines new EU internal market texts. Meeting once a month, this body decides which EU legislation and acts should be incorporated into the EEA. The EEA Council, made up of representatives of the Council of the EU and the Foreign Ministers of the EEA EFTA states, meets at least twice a year to draw up political guidelines for the Joint Committee. The EEA Agreement contains provisions for facilitating input from EEA EFTA countries at various stages of the EU legislative procedure before new legislation is adopted.

Once an EU act has been incorporated into the EEA Agreement, it must be transposed into the national legislation of the EEA EFTA countries if required under that national legislation. This may simply require a governmental decision or parliamentary approval. After internal market legislation has been extended to the EEA EFTA countries, transposition and application are monitored by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA Court. The EFTA Surveillance Authority maintains an internal market scoreboard that tracks the implementation of legislation in the EEA countries.

Belarus is not a member of the EEA.

The EEA is a free trade zone

The European Economic Area (EEA) is a free trade zone between the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EEA was established in 1994 through the Agreement on the European Economic Area, an international agreement that extends the EU's single market to EFTA member states. The EEA includes all 27 EU countries, as well as three of the four EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. These three EFTA countries are linked to the EU's internal market, allowing free movement of goods, capital, services, and people between member states.

The EEA is governed by the same "four freedoms" that underpin the European single market. These freedoms include the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital among the EEA countries. As a result, countries that are part of the EEA but not the EU, such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, enjoy free trade with the EU. The EEA Agreement also includes horizontal policies related to these four freedoms, such as social policies, consumer protection, environmental policies, statistics, and company law.

The right to free movement of persons between EEA member states is identical to that of the EU. Citizens of EEA member countries can travel freely to other member countries for short-term visits or permanent relocations. However, they retain their original citizenship and cannot apply for citizenship in their new country of residence. Additionally, EEA regulations govern professional qualifications and social security coordination to support this free movement of people.

The EEA is administered through a two-pillar structure, with decision-making shared between the EU and the EEA EFTA countries. Decisions are made by joint EEA bodies, including the EEA Council, the EEA Joint Committee, the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee, and the EEA Consultative Committee. The EEA Joint Committee, composed of representatives from the EU and the three EEA EFTA states, examines and decides which EU legislation and acts should be incorporated into the EEA. Once approved, this legislation becomes part of the EEA Agreement and must be implemented by the EFTA states.

The EEA Agreement specifies that membership is open to member states of either the EU or EFTA. New members of EFTA must apply to become a party to the EEA Agreement, and their application is subject to approval by existing EEA members. The EEA's "decision-shaping" processes allow EEA EFTA member states to influence and contribute to new EEA policies and legislation from an early stage.

The EEA is not the same as the Schengen zone

Belarus is not a member of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA is an economic agreement that extends the European Union's single market to non-EU member countries in Europe. It includes 27 EU member states and three European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states: Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. These EFTA countries are part of the EEA but not the EU.

While there is overlap between the EEA and the Schengen zone in terms of member countries, they are distinct agreements with different purposes and functionalities. The EEA focuses on economic integration and extending the EU's single market, while the Schengen zone concentrates specifically on border control and the free movement of people.

Additionally, the decision-making processes and governing bodies of the two agreements differ. The EEA is governed through a two-pillar structure, with decisions made by joint EEA bodies such as the EEA Council and the EEA Joint Committee. In contrast, the Schengen zone operates under a unified framework overseen by the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, with input from member states.

In summary, while both the EEA and the Schengen zone promote economic cooperation and facilitate travel within Europe, they have distinct purposes, membership criteria, and governing structures.

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