It will no longer be lawful to transfer personal data from the remaining EU Member States to the UK without additional legal protections (e.g., consent, or contractual safeguards). It is referred to as ‘Norway Plus’ because as well as joining EFTA, under this scenario, the UK would also seek to remain in the EU Customs Union. So why has this idea suddenly become a more tempting? [3], Following the completion of its withdrawal from the EU, the UK could have sought to continue to be a member of the EEA through mechanisms available to members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Doubtful. [4], The United Kingdom was a member of the European Economic Area as a member of the European Union. Non-EEA family members who are outside the UK will be entitled to apply for a Family Permit which allows them to come to the UK to join their EEA family members who reside in the UK. EFTA states are not part of the EU Customs Union as outlined above. It could then participate in the EEA agreement, a dynamic arrangement bringing together the EFTA member states with the EU in a single market. He or she should not be the citizen of UK and from the other country. Switzerland set up several dialogues with the UK: (1) a so-called Continuity Dialogue which deals with horizontal issues and oversees progress in each area, and (2) Specific Dialogues in areas currently … [14], Given Scotland's vote in the 2016 referendum to remain in the EU, contrasted with that of the UK as a whole, [1] During the transition period, which ended on 31 December 2020,[2] the UK and EU negotiated their future relationship. Despite being administered by the Home Office, EEA family permits are issued under the Immigration (EEA) Regulations 2006 and not UK Immigration Rules. The UK, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have today signed the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement. Andie Sophia Fontaine. It could then participate in the EEA agreement , a dynamic … This follows from the two-pillar structure and Article 126 of the EEA Agreement, which states that the EEA Agreement applies to the territory of the EU and the three EEA EFTA States. The United Kingdom could be allowed by other member states to join the EEA and EFTA but existing EEA members such as Norway would have concerns about taking the risk of opening a difficult negotiation with the EU that could lead … Not saying it will definitely happen this way but it’s a likely enough scenario. They are from outside the EEA or Switzerland. Tweet. The EU would also not let Britain join the EEA without some reforms to the current agreement. It could then participate in the EEA agreement , a dynamic arrangement bringing together the EFTA member states with the EU in … The EEA family permit will soon be replaced … The European Economic Area agreement of 1994 gives three countries, Norway, Iceland and Lichetenstein, access to the single market without them having to be a member of the EU. Under this model, the UK would leave both the customs union and the single market. It should be sold to the British public by repeatedly saying, “we are going back to the Common Market”. Before the election, the UK government rejected the EEA option. All account holders need to be living in the UK and every address we have for everyone on the accounts must be a UK address. … Only EU or EFTA members can currently become members of the EEA, meaning if Britain wants to secure full access to the single market after Brexit, joining EFTA is the logical route. As an EEA member, Britain would not have these safeguards. The UK was a co-founder of EFTA in 1960, but ceased to be a member in 1973 upon joining the EC, which became the EU. It would shift the balance, which is not necessarily in Norway's interests". This agreement largely mirrors the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU. What is the EEA and could Britain join it? However, their non-European Economic Area (EEA) family members will require immigration permission to enter, reside and work. The European Environment Agency (EEA) is an agency of the European Union, whose task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment. EFTA membership does not entail EEA membership, but only EU and EFTA member states can currently be contracting parties to the EEA Agreement. How is it different from the EEA? Which I don’t see happening any time soon. Economic Union but not Political Union. As a matter of law, it would, of course, be possible for the UK remain a member of the EEA as a non-EU Member State by agreement. The EU-27 should hang tough and offer no concessions to the UK at the present time. Given the importance the new UK government – and at least part of the UK public – attaches to imposing controls on immigration fro… The EU rejects the UK’s latest offer of 40 billion, saying it isn’t enough. When the family member arrives, they will need to register under the EU Settlement Scheme within 3 months of their arrival. The UK, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have today signed the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement. With the EEA, the economic situation and trading environment that EU membership has delivered would remain substantially unchanged, allowing much of the status quo regarding the EU single market to be maintained as far as the UK is concerned. We reserve the right to refuse membership to anyone deemed to fall short of these standards Write an article and join a growing community of more than 119,900 academics and researchers from 3,852 institutions. 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