EØSområdet

The EØS area, also known as the European Economic Area, is an international treaty that extends the European Union's single market to non-EU member states. The agreement was signed in Porto, Portugal, on May 2, 1992, and entered into force on January 1, 1994. The primary goal of the EØS is to create a level playing field for businesses and consumers across participating countries.

The EØS area encompasses all EU member states plus three of the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Switzerland, the fourth EFTA member, is not part of the EØS area but has a separate bilateral agreement with the EU. Member states of the EØS area benefit from the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. This means that goods can be traded without tariffs or quotas, companies can offer services across borders, individuals can work and live in any EØS country, and capital can flow freely.

In return for these benefits, the EØS member states that are not EU members adopt relevant EU legislation concerning the internal market. This includes regulations on competition, consumer protection, environmental protection, and social policy. The EØS is overseen by the EØS Joint Committee, which meets regularly to discuss and adopt new legislation. The EØS Court of Justice and the EØS Surveillance Authority ensure that the agreement is implemented correctly.