EUEEAområdet

EUEEAområdet is the term used for the European Union and the European Economic Area area, comprising the EU member states and the three EFTA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway that participate in the European Economic Area. The arrangement extends the EU's internal market rules to these states, enabling the four freedoms of goods, services, people and capital.

Legal framework and governance: The internal market rules are implemented in national law, and updates are negotiated in the EEA Joint Committee. The EU and the EFTA states cooperate through EU and EFTA institutions to ensure coherence of the internal market. The EEA EFTA states participate in most EU programs related to the internal market, with exemptions in areas such as agriculture and fisheries.

Economic and trade aspects: Intra-area trade is largely tariff-free, with a common external tariff for non-members. The use of currency varies; most EU members have adopted the euro, but several EUEEA-area states retain their own currencies. The EEA Grants and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism provide financial support to reduce regional disparities across the EU.

Mobility and borders: The area is built on the freedom of movement of persons under the EEA Agreement. Many members participate in the Schengen Area, enabling passport-free travel at internal borders, while border controls may be required at external borders under certain conditions.

Status and scope: The EUEEAområdet as of today includes the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The United Kingdom is not part of the area. The arrangement aims to harmonize economic rules while preserving some policy autonomy for the EFTA states.