Welcome from the Chair

Welcome to the website of DEEA - the European Parliament's Delegation for Northern cooperation and for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee.

DEEA ensures democratic oversight of the implementation of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, through the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee. It also covers the EU's bilateral inter-parliamentary relations with Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Furthermore, DEEA deals with the EU's Northern policies and relations with various parliamentary forums of the North. During the 8th parliamentary term, the delegation constructively participated in activities of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) and its Standing Committee. The European Parliament hosted the Fifth Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum and maintained close contacts with the Nordic Council and the West-Nordic Council. Regarding the Arctic, it is our intention to keep the subject high on the agenda of the delegation, as requested by decisions of Parliament and its committees.

In 2019, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the EEA Agreement. The EEA agreement guarantees equal rights and obligations within the Internal Market for citizens and economic operators in the EEA. It has brought numerous benefits to our citizens and has opened up new opportunities for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. Moreover, our excellent cooperation has allowed for necessary flexibility in a world that is increasingly complex and constantly changing.
Twice per year, the DEEA Members meet with their counterparts from Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (the latter as observer) in the framework of the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee to exchange views and provide substantive input and orientations to the executive branch of the EEA. Over the past years we have been able to develop our relationship further by establishing a deep political dialogue in areas of mutual interest, such as citizens' rights; addressing the challenges of migration and refugees; boosting our cooperation in security and defence; following up the implementation of the Paris agreement on climate change; and, last but not least, developing our dialogue on the future of the Arctic, Baltic and the High North.

The EEA EFTA States and Switzerland are our closest allies and like-minded partners in a very challenging global context. Our relations with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are therefore of the highest importance to the EU and we need to do our utmost to safeguard our special relationship!

Andreas SCHWAB

43rd EU-Switzerland IPM, Bern, 8-9 February 2024

07-02-2024 - 08:45

The 43rd EU-Switzerland Interparliamentary Meeting (IPM) will take place on 8-9 February in Bern.

It will be co-chaired by Mr Andreas Schwab, the DEEA Chair, and Mr Thomas Aeschi, the Swiss Federal Parliament's delegation Chair.

MEPs and Swiss parliamentarians will exchange views on the following issues:

· Common Understanding and package of cooperation and market access agreements

· European Elections 2024 - What is at stake (including for Swiss-EU relations)?

38th EU-Norway Inter-parliamentary Meeting, Strasbourg, 16 February 2023

13-02-2023 - 18:05
The flags of Norway and the EU hanging
The flags of Norway and the EU © European Union (2023)

The 38th EU - Norway Inter-parliamentary Meeting (IPM) will take place in Strasbourg, on 16 February 2023 from 9.00 to 12.00.

The meeting will be an opportunity for Members of both Parliaments to consider the close and fruitful relationship between the EU and Norway in challenging times. The European Economic Area Agreement (EEA) provides the primary framework to this relationship. However, EU-Norway cooperation goes much further than the terms of the EEA agreement. Norway and the EU are working closely together to counter Russia's aggression. Parties aim to align their environmental, climate change and Arctic policies and coordinate on matters related to foreign policy, health, justice and home affairs.

In addition to discussing the state of play of EU-Norway relations, Parliamentarians will look at EU-Norway cooperation related to the war in Ukraine, proposals regarding revision of the Schengen Borders Code and creation of the European Health Data Space as well as EU-Norway Energy cooperation.

57th European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee (Oslo, 23-25 May 2022)

18-05-2022 - 17:15
Building of the Storting, Oslo Parliament
"The Storting" - Oslo Parliament © Image used under the license of Adobe Stock
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Blue logo of the EEA with European Stars
European Economic Area - EEA © Image used under the license of Adobe Stock - 316538723
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The European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee will meet in Oslo on 23-25 May 2022.

This will be the 57th meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which meets twice a year, and gathers parliamentarians from the EEA EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the European Parliament. Representatives of the Swiss Federal Assembly will attend as observers.

Discussions will focus on the main developments in the implementation of the EEA agreement. The co-rapporteurs, Mr Christophe GRUDLER, on behalf of Mr Andreas SCHWAB, President of the EEA JPC, and Ms Ingibjörg Ólöf ISAKSEN, Member of the Icelandic Parliament and Vice-President of the EEA JPC will present a draft resolution on the EEA Joint Committee's 2021 Annual report on the functioning of the EEA agreement and will reflect on the challenges ahead.

Parliamentarians will also exchange views on the crisis in Ukraine, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, EU Health Data and the Artificial Intelligence Act and relations with the UK. Information will be provided about the state of play of the EU-Switzerland relations.

1st EU-Nordic Council Inter-parliamentary meeting, 21-22 February 2022

04-05-2022 - 12:31
View of Helsinki Harbour
1st IPM EU-Nordic Council - 21-22 Feb. 2022, Helsinki © image under the license from Adobe Stock
The 1st EU-Nordic Council Inter-parliamentary meeting took place on 21 and 22 February 2022 in Helsinki, Finland. The meeting was hosted by the Nordic Council and focused on the cooperation between the EP and the Nordic Council, the Arctic policies, the EU Green Deal and climate change policies, as well as on the threats to democracy, such as disinformation and cyber-threats.
The in-person delegation of the European Parliament consisted of three Members of the DEEA and was led by Ms Christel SCHALDEMOSE, the DEEA Vice Chair in charge of the Iceland Working Group. The Nordic Council was represented by its President Mr Erkki TUOMIOJA, the Vice-President Ms Lulu RANNE, Ms Lorena DELGADO, Ms Oddný Harðardóttir (Members of the Presidium) and Mr Magnus EK.

The Northern Dimension and BEAC suspend activities involving Russia

30-03-2022 - 09:55
The European Union, Iceland and Norway have condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprecedented military aggression against Ukraine. The European Union, Iceland and Norway have therefore suspended until further notice all activities of the Northern Dimension policy which involve Russia and Belarus.

Furthermore, 'In light of Russia's blatant violation of international law, breach of rules-based multilateralism and the principles and objectives of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the European Union have no other choice than to suspend activities involving Russia in the Barents Euro-Arctic cooperation.'

Declaration by Heads of BSPC delegations on the ongoing war in Ukraine

22-03-2022 - 10:51

The Heads of the BSPC delegations of the parliaments and parliamentary organizations listed in the attached Declaration, "have decided to ensure the suspension of the Russian parliaments from the Annual Conference, the meetings of our working bodies, proceedings, work and projects of the BSPC until cooperation under the fundamental principles of international law will once again become possible.

The secretariat has been instructed to suspend until then the Russian member delegations and Russian observer institutions from all invitations to meetings."

SCPAR Statement on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 8 March 2022

22-03-2022 - 10:51
Peaceful and fruitful collaboration in the Arctic Region is vital for the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians in the Arctic Region. Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine creates a new and severe reality in our global society, which calls for a careful reflection of diplomatic relations.

On this note, The Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region will put a pause to our immediate plans for now, while we continue to closely follow the geopolitical situation.

As members of the Committee, and as Arctic citizens, we will continue to observe and monitor all aspects and elements of the Arctic region, while keeping in mind the interests of peaceful Arctic countries and people - especially indigenous peoples of the Arctic - during this challenging time.

Russia does not support this statement.

37th EU-Norway Inter-parliamentary Meeting, 27 January 2022, Brussels

01-03-2022 - 16:00
View of Podium of the meeting, with Mr Andreas Schwab (Co-Chair, EP) and Ms Ine Eriksen SØREIDE (Co-Chair, Norway Delegation)
37th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting EU-Norway, 27 January 2022 © European Union (2022) - European Parliament
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View of the Podium with Mr Andreas SCHWAB (Co-Chair, EP) and H.E. Ambassador Rolf Einar FIFE (on remote screen)
37th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting EU-Norway, 27 January 2022 (2) © European Union (2022) - European Parliament
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The 37th EU - Norway Inter-parliamentary Meeting (IPM) took place on 27 January 2022 from 9.30 to 11.30, in Brussels with remote participation.

The meeting was an opportunity for Members of both Parliaments to consider the state of play of EU-Norway relations, including cooperation in relation to COVID-19. Parliamentarians also explored the conditionality of the rule of law and the situation on the Eastern border of the EU, especially with regard to Ukraine.

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