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EEA agreement and related agreements: participation of Bulgaria and Romania

2007/0115(NLE)

Following their accession to the European Union, Bulgaria and Romania (EEA Applicant Countries) have applied to become Contracting Parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) pursuant to Article 128 thereof.

To that end, the Commission has negotiated, on behalf of the European Community and its Member States, with Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Kingdom of Norway and the EEA Applicant Countries an Agreement on the participation of Bulgaria and Romania in the European Economic Area ("EEA") and four related agreements, being:

  • Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning a Cooperation Programme for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Bulgaria;
  • Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Norway concerning a Cooperation Programme for Economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Romania;
  • Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and Iceland consequent on the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union; and
  • Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway consequent on the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union.

The negotiations were concluded on 29 March 2007.

Pending the completion of the procedures required to bring them into force and in order to maintain the good functioning of the internal market within the European Economic Area, the said agreements should be applied on a provisional basis pursuant to Agreements in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Kingdom of Norway, respectively.

This is the intended purpose of this proposal. No changes have been made to the former initial proposal (see the summary dated 12/06/2007).