Outside and Inside. Norway’s agreements with the European Union. Report by the EEA Review Committee, appointed on 7 January 2010. Submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 January 2012

On 7 January 2010, the Norwegian Government appointed a broad-based independent committee to undertake a thorough, research-based review of the EEA Agreement.

The mandate of the Committee called for a comprehensive and thorough review of the political, legal, administrative, economic and other social consequences of the EEA Agreement. Moreover, the Committee was asked to review Norway’s experience of the Schengen Agreement and other cooperation and association arrangements between Norway and the European Union.

The Committee’s work was presented in an official report on 17 January 2012. The report will be subject to public consultation and will form part of the basis for a report (White Paper) to the Norwegian parliament (Storting).

The 900-page report is extensive, and covers all aspects of Norway’s relations with the EU. The following is an English translation of the first chapter. It gives a brief overview of the Committee’s main findings and presents the main
contents of the different parts and chapters. The complete report is available only in Norwegian. There are plans to translate additional excerpts of the report into English at a later stage.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Norway and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/norway-and-the-european-union/

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