B4-0184, 0196, 0199 and 0202/95

Resolution on the European Economic Area

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which entered into force on 1 January 1994,

-having regard to the accession to the European Union of Austria, Finland and Sweden,

A.having regard to the statements by Mr Hanibalsson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister and current President of the EFTA Council, reaffirming its members' firm commitment to maintaining the EEA Agreement and its institutional structure,

1.Considers that the Agreement on the European Economic Area retains considerable interest for both the Union and the other contracting parties;

2.Welcomes the fact that Liechtenstein may join the EEA Agreement on 1 May 1995;

3.Invites the Commission to propose adequate measures to strengthen political and economic links with Switzerland, and in so doing to defend the interests of the European Union and insist on the principle of reciprocity;

4.Invites the EEA contracting parties to look into the possibility of organizing EEA decision-making structures in a more efficient and effective way without changing the legal text; is in particular convinced that the legal supervision procedures should be maintained, and the size of the EU-EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee should be adapted;

5.Reiterates its previous demands that the autonomy of EU decision-making be respected, and points out that the decision-shaping process of the EEA does not adversely affect the European Parliament's legislative powers;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council, the EEA Council and the parliaments of the contracting parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.