The EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee (EEA JPC) met with representatives of the EEA Joint Committee and the EEA Council to receive an update on recent developments in the EEA. As the EEA JPC’s primary objective is to follow developments in the EEA and to give its views on topics for discussion at the earliest stage possible, this biannual meeting is of great importance.
Another important topic on the EEA JPC’s agenda in Fredrikstad was the ongoing free trade negotiations between the United States and the European Union – the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) – with a special focus on its possible implications for the EEA. The EEA EFTA States are closely integrated in the EU Single Market through the EEA Agreement and apply the same Single Market rules, so any impact that TTIP has on the Single Market is likely to affect the EEA EFTA States. The EEA JPC is therefore following these negotiations closely.
Also discussed at the meeting was industrial policy in Europe, in particular the impact that recent developments of a more horizontal policy approach taken at EU level could have on the EEA.
In addition to these in-depth discussions on industrial policy and the TTIP, a briefing was given by Catherine Stihler MEP on the status of the Digital Agenda. The Digital Single Market and challenges within digital technology are priority areas in the European Commission’s 2015 Work Programme and also of interest to the EEA JPC.
The next EEA JPC meeting will be held Brussels in autumn 2015.
