The Committee discussed in detail a report on the EEA and the global financial crisis as well as a report on labour law in the EEA. Resolutions on both topics were adopted unanimously.

Committee members also received a thorough update on the state of play in Iceland-EU relations from Mr Árni Thór Sigurdsson, head of the Icelandic delegation, and held a lively discussion on this and related topics.

Moreover, the Committee was briefed by Mr Michael Sahlin, Ambassador, Sweden, representing the EU Presidency of the EEA Council, Mr Lars-Olof Hollner, European Commission, representing the EU President of the EEA Joint Committee, Mr Helge Skaara, Norwegian Mission to the EU, representing the President-in-Office of the EEA Council and EEA Joint Committee and Mr Per Sanderud, President of the EFTA Surveillance Authority. In connection with the discussion on the global financial crisis and the EEA, Mr Emil Steffensen, Deputy Director General of the Norwegian Financial Authority, (Kredittilsynet), briefed the Committee members on the lessons learned from the market upheavals in the last 12 months and the international measures taken to stem the crisis.

Finally, the Committee discussed a working paper on Regional cooperation in between the EU and the EEA-EFTA States.

In the morning 29 October, the Committee met and exchanged views with Ms Elisabeth Walaas, State Secretary in the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. Later that day, the Committee members visited Sintef/NTNU to study innovative technologies in the fight against climate change. Sintef/NTNU is Scandinavia’s largest independent research institution.

The EEA JPC meeting was co-chaired by Mr Harry Quaderer, Member of the Liechtenstein Parliament, and Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher, Member of the European Parliament, from Ireland.