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Brussels, 2 September 2015
How EEA law is interpreted
Gunnar SELVIKRegistrar EFTA Court
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General points on the EFTA Court Established as a part of the EEA cooperationthe judicial function
Independent international Court with clearly defined competences
Seated in Luxembourg
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Two pillars – one agreement
The EFTA Court interprets the EEA agreement in the EFTA states
The EU Courts interpret the EEA agreement in the EU states
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EEA COUNCILMinisters of EU and
EFTA EEA states
EEA JOINT COMMITTEE
EEAS, Commission and EU and EFTA
government representatives
EEA JOINT PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEE *MPs from the EFTA
parliaments and MEPs
EEA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE*
EU COUNCIL
EEAS+EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Commission Services
EU COURTS
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
EP Secretariat
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE (EESC)
EESC Secretariat
THE TWO PILLAR STRUCTURE UNDER THE EEA AGREEMENT
ICELANDLIECHTENSTEIN
NORWAY
EFTA STANDING COMMITTEE*
EFTA Secretariat
EFTA SURVEILLANCE
AUTHORITY
EFTA COURT
COMMITTEE OF MPs OF THE EFTA
STATES EFTA Secretariat
EFTA CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEEEFTA Secretariat
* Switzerland has observer status
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Legal basis EEA agreement article 108(2): provides that the EFTA
States shall establish the EFTA Court
Surveillance and Court Agreement (SCA) article 27:the legal basis for the establishment of the EFTA Court
Protocol 5 SCA: Statutes
Rules of Procedure
Instructions to the Registrar
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Organisation 3 judges → Each EFTA state nominates one judge
One cabinet per judge, legal secretaries and personal assistants
Registrar responsible for procedural questions and for the administration of the Court
No Advocate General, no General Court (≠ ECJ)
Guest office for researchers etc.
Total staff: 19 + trainees
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Organigram
Ms SharonWORTELBOERAdm. Assistant
UK/LUX
Mr CarlBAUDENBACHERJudge/President
CH
Ms KerstinSchwiesow
Personal AssistantGER
Mr Michael James CLIFTON
Legal Secretary(temp) UK
Mr SalimGUETTAF
Man. premisesFRA
Mr PállHREINSSON
JudgeICE
Mr PerCHRISTIANSEN
JudgeNOR
Ms Iskra HRISTOVA
Adm. AssistantBUL
Mr TomaszMazur
Adm.&Fin. Officer(temp) POL
Ms BryndisPALMARSDÓTTIR
Transl./Adm.OfficerICEMs Hrafnhildur
EYJÓLFSDÓTTIR Personal Assistant
ICE
Ms SiljeNÆSHEIM
Personal AssistantNOR
Mr PhilippSPEITLER
Legal SecretaryGER
Mr ArnaldurHJARTARSON Legal Secretary
ICE
Mr JørgenREINHOLDTSENLegal Secretary
NOR
Ms HarrietBRUHN
Sen. Adm.&Fin.Off.NOR
Mr GunnarSELVIK
RegistrarNOR
Ms Candy BISCHOFF
Adm. Assistant (temp) LUX
Mr Dag SØRLIE LUND
Legal Secretary(temp) NOR
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Types of cases - IDIRECT
ACTIONS (DA)
• Infringement actions vs. EFTA States:- Initiated by ESA (art 31 SCA)- Initiated by another EFTA State
(art 32 SCA)
• Infringement actions vs. ESA: - Validity of ESA’s decisions
(art 36 SCA)- ESA’s failure to act (art 37
SCA)- Liability of ESA (art 39 SCA)
• Parties: ESA, EFTA States and in some cases private entities
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Types of cases - IIADVISORY OPINIONS
(AO)
• Who can request?- ”..any court or tribunal in an
EFTA-State..” (Art 34(2) SCA)
• When request?- ”Where... that court or tribunal
considers it necessary to enable it to give judgment..” (Art 34(2) SCA)
• Effect?- Always followed, but formally
speaking not binding (≠ ECJ’s preliminary rulings)
- National courts’ incorrect interpretation of the EEA agreement is in principle a breach of treaty obligations
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Main focus on written procedure
Usually followed by an oral hearing
Right to make written observations and to participate in the oral hearing: EFTA states, EU states, ESA, Commission and also
private parties (if legal standing)
Procedure
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Relationship EU Courts - EFTA Court
Article 105(2,3) EEA – formal equality
Art. 6 EEA and Art. 3 SCA: EEA to be interpreted in conformity with the relevant case law of the ECJ
EFTA Court following the ECJ
EFTA Court goes first
EFTA Court rulings on EEA specific problems
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Statistics (case load) - I Increase of new cases in recent years:
Total 1994–2015: 246 cases (57% DA/43% AO) Annual average: ≈ 12 cases First 15 years: 107 cases (7/year)Last 6,5 years: 139 cases (21/year) ”Low point”: 2 cases (1999) ”High point”: 30 cases (2013)
2015 so far: 23 cases (14 DA/9 AO)
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Statistics (case load) - II Trends:
Direct Actions: Surge in non-implementations (especially
against Iceland), state aid, access to documents...
Advisory Opinions: Norway underrepresented, aftermath of
financial crisis, increased complexity...
Maintain effective case handling time: 6-8 months (ECJ: 22-24 months)
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Statistics (case load) - III Pending cases:
Total 23: → 14 Direct Actions (access documents/regionally
differentiated social security contributions/non-implementations/state aid housing fund/services-construction works/air quality)
→ 9 Advisory Opinions (environmental impact assessments in building projects/labour law-work contracts/deposit guarantees-IcesaveII/labour-comp. law-dock workers/invalidity insurance/life insurance/import meat products)
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Statistics (case load) - III Pending cases
Total 13: → 12 Direct Actions (state aid/access documents/work
as dentist/non-implementation/regionally differentiated social security contributions)
→ 1 Advisory Opinion (medicinal products)
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WWW.EFTACOURT.INT Court Diary
Composition of the Court
Legal Sources regarding the Court
Decided and Pending Cases
Yearly Reports of the Court as from 2004
Contact Info: [email protected]
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Advisory Opinions – 1994 - 2015
1, rue du Fort Thüngen, L-1499 Luxembourgwww.eftacourt.int5
32
47
21
5
105 Advisory Opinions ‐ per country
Icelandic Courts
Norwegian Courts
Liechtenstein Courts
Others
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Direct Actions – 1994 - 2015
1, rue du Fort Thüngen, L-1499 Luxembourgwww.eftacourt.int3
54
45
22
20
Against ESA
ESA v Iceland
ESA v Norway
ESA v Liechtenstein
141 Direct Actions ‐ divided by applicant