Editing European Economic Area (section)

===European microstates===
{{See also|Microstates and the European Union}}

In November 2012, after the [[Council of the European Union]] had called for an evaluation of the [[Microstates and the European Union|EU's relations with the sovereign European microstates]] of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, which they described as "fragmented",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/118458.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214132613/http://www.consilium.europa.eu//uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/118458.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-14 |url-status=live |title=Council conclusions on EU relations with EFTA countries |publisher=[[Council of the European Union]] |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=1 April 2013}}</ref> the [[European Commission]] published a report outlining options for their further integration into the EU.<ref name=options>{{CELEX|52012DC0680R(01)|text=COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS EU Relations with the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of San Marino Options for Closer Integration with the EU}}</ref> Unlike Liechtenstein, which is a member of the EEA via the EFTA and the Schengen Agreement, relations with these three states are based on a collection of agreements covering specific issues. The report examined four alternatives to the current situation: 1) a Sectoral Approach with separate agreements with each state covering an entire policy area, 2) a comprehensive, multilateral Framework Association Agreement (FAA) with the three states, 3) EEA membership, and 4) EU membership. The Commission argued that the sectoral approach did not address the major issues and was still needlessly complicated, while EU membership was dismissed in the near future because "the EU institutions are currently not adapted to the accession of such small-sized countries". The remaining options, EEA membership and an FAA with the states, were found to be viable and were recommended by the commission.

As EEA membership is currently only open to EFTA or EU members, the consent of existing EFTA member states is required for the microstates to join the EEA without becoming members of the EU. In 2011, [[Jonas Gahr Støre]], the then [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Norway)|Foreign Minister of Norway]], which is an EFTA member state, said that EFTA/EEA membership for the microstates was not the appropriate mechanism for their integration into the [[European Single Market|internal market]] because their requirements differed from those of larger countries such as Norway, and suggested that a simplified association would be better suited for them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationen.no/2011/05/19/politikk/eos/eos-avtalen/eu/eeas/6642688/|title=Norge sier nei til nye mikrostater i EØS|date=19 May 2011|access-date=6 April 2013|archive-date=12 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512162204/http://www.nationen.no/2011/05/19/politikk/eos/eos-avtalen/eu/eeas/6642688/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Espen Barth Eide]], Støre's successor, responded to the commission's report in late 2012 by questioning whether the microstates have sufficient administrative capabilities to meet the obligations of EEA membership. However, he stated that Norway was open to the possibility of EFTA membership for the microstates if they decide to submit an application, and that the country had not made a final decision on the matter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/ud/aktuelt/taler_artikler/eide_taler/2013/eosutvalget_130128.html?id=712742|title=Innlegg på møte i Stortingets europautvalg|date=28 January 2013|access-date=1 April 2013|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norway)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway]]|archive-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204212519/https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumentarkiv/stoltenberg-ii/ud/taler-og-artikler/2013/eosutvalget_130128/id712742/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.klassekampen.no/61007/article/item/null |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413223348/http://www.klassekampen.no/61007/article/item/null |archive-date=13 April 2013 |title=Eide: Bedre blir det ikke |date=21 December 2012 |access-date=1 April 2013 }}</ref><ref name=NORLIE>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationen.no/2012/12/08/politikk/eos-avtalen/eos/san_marino/eu/7845048/|title=Regjeringa open for diskutere EØS-medlemskap for mikrostatar|language=no|last=Aalberg Undheim|first=Eva|date=8 December 2012|access-date=6 April 2013|archive-date=12 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512185244/http://www.nationen.no/2012/12/08/politikk/eos-avtalen/eos/san_marino/eu/7845048/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latribunasammarinese.net/edizioni/2013/01-gennaio/03-01-2013boiw.pdf |title=La Norvegia chiude le porte a San Marino |date=3 January 2013 |access-date=6 April 2013 |publisher=La Tribuna Sammarinese |page=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307181930/http://www.latribunasammarinese.net/edizioni/2013/01-gennaio/03-01-2013boiw.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2014}}</ref> Pascal Schafhauser, the Counsellor of the Liechtenstein Mission to the EU, said that Liechtenstein, another EFTA member state, was willing to discuss EEA membership for the microstates provided their joining did not impede the functioning of the organisation. However, he suggested that the option of direct membership in the EEA for the microstates, outside both the EFTA and the EU, should be given consideration.<ref name=NORLIE/>

On 18 November 2013, the EU Commission concluded that "the participation of the small-sized countries in the EEA is not judged to be a viable option at present due to the political and institutional reasons", and that Association Agreements were a more feasible mechanism to integrate the microstates into the internal market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2013/EN/1-2013-793-EN-F1-1.Pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223092624/http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2013/EN/1-2013-793-EN-F1-1.Pdf |archive-date=2013-12-23 |url-status=live |title=EU Relations with the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of San Marino: Options for their participation in the Internal Market |date=18 November 2013 |access-date=20 November 2013 |publisher=European Commission}}</ref>