Statement by ESA College Member Árni Páll Árnason to the EFTA Ministerial Meeting, 22 June 2026

Ministers, Ambassadors,

Secretary-General,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to address this EFTA Ministerial, and a particular pleasure to do so here in Reykjavik.

The EEA Agreement remains one of Europe's most mature and far-reaching frameworks for European cooperation and trade. It delivers tangible benefits to citizens and businesses across our countries, while preserving national responsibility and institutional balance. ESA has a key role in safeguarding that balance - by ensuring that EEA rules are correctly implemented and applied in the EFTA pillar.

Let me briefly reflect on the past year and the challenges ahead.

Similar to what many of you experience directly at national level: the volume and complexity of EEA-relevant legislation continue to increase, particularly in areas such as energy, climate, financial services and the digital economy.

This is reflected in ESA's work.

In the past year, the number of infringement and conformity cases grew, and we received more than double the number of complaints from the year before.

What matters most, however, is not the figures themselves, but what they tell us:

that ensuring homogeneity in today's Internal Market requires earlier dialogue, deeper technical expertise and sustained cooperation and that the EEA remains relevant for the public in the EEA EFTA states.

For ESA this means interaction primarily with national authorities and the European Commission, but also with the technical agencies of the European Union such as ACER, ESMA, EFSA and others. We have in recent years strengthened and deepened our cooperation with the Commission through bi-annual meetings of College with Commissioner Sefcovic and through our regular Surveillance Policy Dialogue on middle management and case-handler level. We want to hold the EEA EFTA states to a similar standard as the Commission does with regard to the EU Member States - not materially higher or lower.

Correct and timely implementation of EEA law remains a cornerstone of the Agreement.

Our latest assessments show that transposition challenges persist, and in some areas are growing.

ESA's approach remains unchanged: dialogue where possible, formal action where necessary.

Most cases continue to be resolved through constructive engagement. But where obligations are not met, ESA must - and will - make use of the tools provided by the Agreement, including infringement proceedings.

In the field of State aid, this past year has again shown fewer cases but more complex and with more work. Aid schemes are increasingly larger and more technically complex.

Cases are increasingly cross-sectoral, financially significant and closely linked to EU-level developments - whether related to energy markets, industrial policy or crisis-related measures.

Maintaining a level playing field across the EEA requires ESA to mirror developments on the EU side closely, while respecting the two-pillar structure. This is resource-intensive work, but essential to the credibility of the system.

The same applies in competition enforcement, where ESA continues to cooperate closely with national authorities and the European Commission to address potential distortions of competition in increasingly integrated markets.

A growing share of ESA's work now lies at the intersection of market regulation and climate policy.

As you are aware, ESA oversees the application of emissions trading, energy market rules and environmental legislation in the EEA EFTA States. This is technically demanding work, often involving entirely new regulatory concepts.

The European green transition will continue and this will generate new tasks for ESA. But ensuring that these are handled efficiently, without undermining legal certainty or institutional balance, is a shared responsibility.

Going forward, ESA has three priorities:

• First, early engagement - to identify implementation challenges before they crystallise into disputes.
• Second, institutional cooperation - particularly with the European Commission, national authorities and the EFTA Court, to safeguard homogeneity in a rapidly evolving and expanding legal landscape.
• Third, capacity and expertise - we must ensure that ESA remains fit for purpose as its mandate expands.

Ministers,

The EEA Agreement has proven its resilience for more than three decades. It continues to function not because it is static, but because it adapts - through law, through institutions, and through cooperation.

ESA remains fully committed to playing its role: independently, proportionately and in close dialogue with you.

Thank you for your attention.