Two Pillar System of the EEA Agreement discussed at a Seminar in Brussels

At the iniative of Iceland, the incumbent presidency of the EEA/EFTA cooperation, a seminar was held today in Brussels on the two pillar system of the EEA Agreement. The Agreement has its 25th anniversary this year.

The seminar gave insights into how two pillar issues have been addressed since the entry into force of the EEA Agreement back in 1994. Speakers looked into how the two pillar system has stood the test of time and evolution of the EU; what challenges there have been and how they have been solved as well as what needs to be kept in mind to sustain the success of the EEA Agreement. Speakers came from institutions such as the EFTA Court, the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the Commission of the European Union; as well as the EEA/EFTA Member States.

The seminar was well attended and even if it is hard to sum up conclusions from hours of discussions, it is fair to say that speakers unanimously agreed that the two pillar system of the EEA Agreement is a robust and trustworthy system.