Questions and answers
Who is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA)?
The EEA includes the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the three EEA/EFTA states Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. Switzerland, as the only EFTA state, does not participate in the EEA.
What is the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement)?
The EEA Agreement extends the European Union's (EU) single market with Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway to include three of the four EFTA states (Switzerland does not participate in the EEA)
Is the EEA expanding in parallel with the EU?
Yes, in order to preserve the homogeneity of the internal market, any country wishing to join the EU must also become a member of the EEA (Article 128 EEA Agreement)
Since when has the EEA Agreement been in force?
The EEA Agreement entered into force on January 1, 1994. Since May 1, 1995, it has also applied to Liechtenstein.
Should EEA citizens be treated the same as EU citizens?
Yes, according to Article 4 of the EEA Agreement, any discrimination on the grounds of nationality is prohibited. This means that Liechtenstein citizens (natural persons) are on an equal footing with EU citizens. Consequently, with regard to companies (legal entities), companies established in Liechtenstein are to be treated equally to companies established in the EU.
How many EU legal acts apply in Liechtenstein on the basis of the EEA Agreement?
In 2022, a total of 628 EU acts have been incorporated into the EEA Agreement by 354 decisions of the EEA Joint Committee. The total number of EU acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement by the end of 2022 is 12,088. In comparison, the EEA Agreement in 1992 consisted of approximately 1500 EU acts.
Who is responsible for the EEA in Liechtenstein?
Within the Liechtenstein National Administration, a separate unit has been created in the form of the EEA Staff Unit, which deals exclusively with EEA legal issues.
Where can I find information about the EEA in a compact form?
The EEA Briefing provides an initial overview of the EEA. In addition, the EEA Coordination Unit's newseltter "SEWR-News" provides an overview of current developments in the EU/EEA area.