EESréttar

EESréttar, or EEA law, refers to the body of rules that apply in the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA Agreement extends the EU internal market to three of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states—Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—while allowing them to remain outside the European Union. The agreement was signed in 1992 in Porto and entered into force in 1994, creating a legal framework that governs most aspects of the internal market in the EEA states.

EESréttar covers the four freedoms of the internal market—goods, persons, services, and capital—together with a broad range of rules on competition, state aid, consumer protection, public procurement, and sectoral policies such as environment and product safety. The law is implemented through two main instrument types: regulations, which are directly applicable in all EEA states, and directives, which require transposition into national law. In many areas, EEA law mirrors EU law, ensuring harmonization among EU and EEA states.

Institutions overseeing EESréttar include the EEA Joint Committee, which works to align the agreement with evolving EU law, and the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) that monitors compliance in EFTA states. Disputes under the EEA Agreement are typically resolved by the EFTA Court. The European Court of Justice generally does not have direct jurisdiction over EEA law, though national courts may refer questions related to EEA obligations through the EFTA Court.

Agriculture and fisheries policy are largely outside the EEA framework, with separate arrangements applying in those sectors. EESréttar is implemented in each member state through national legislation and enforcement mechanisms.