Date: 2023-03-23Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 209/2022 of 8 July 2022 amending Annex V (Free movement of workers) and Annex VIII (Right of establishment) to the EEA Agreement [2023/626]
Executive Summary:
This EEA Joint Committee Decision No. 209/2022 amends Annex V (Free movement of workers) and Annex VIII (Right of establishment) to the EEA Agreement. It incorporates Commission Implementing Decisions EU 2022/724, EU 2022/725, and EU 2022/726, establishing equivalence for COVID-19 certificates issued by Seychelles, Viet Nam and Indonesia respectively, with those issued under Regulation EU 2021/953. The decision entered into force on July 9, 2022.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Amendments to Annex V (Free Movement of Workers):**
* Inserts point 10zj, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/724 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Seychelles.
* Inserts point 10zk, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/725 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
* Inserts point 10zl, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/726 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Indonesia.
* **Amendments to Annex VIII (Right of Establishment):**
* Inserts point 11zj, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/724 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Seychelles.
* Inserts point 11zk, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/725 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
* Inserts point 11zl, incorporating Commission Implementing Decision EU 2022/726 regarding COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of Indonesia.
* **Authentic Texts:**
* The Icelandic and Norwegian language versions of Implementing Decisions EU 2022/724, EU 2022/725, and EU 2022/726 are authentic and will be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union.
* **Entry into Force:**
* The Decision entered into force on 9 July 2022.
* **Publication:**
* The Decision will be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Union.
Impact Analysis:
* **EEA Member States:**
* *Impact:* EEA Member States are required to recognize the equivalence of COVID-19 certificates issued by Seychelles, Viet Nam, and Indonesia.
* *Action Required:* Implement the changes in national regulations and procedures to ensure recognition of the specified COVID-19 certificates.
* **Citizens of Seychelles, Viet Nam, and Indonesia:**
* *Impact:* Citizens holding COVID-19 certificates issued by their respective countries will have their certificates recognized as equivalent to EU Digital COVID Certificates for the purpose of free movement within the Union.
* *Action Required:* Ensure their COVID-19 certificates meet the requirements outlined in Commission Implementing Decisions EU 2022/724, EU 2022/725, and EU 2022/726.
* **European Commission:**
* *Impact:* The Commission's Implementing Decisions are incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
* *Action Required:* Ensure the publication of the authentic Icelandic and Norwegian texts in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union.
Key Entities Referenced
EEA Joint Committee: The decision-making body responsible for amending the EEA Agreement.
EEA Agreement: The Agreement on the European Economic Area, which extends the EU's single market to Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
Republic of Seychelles: A country whose COVID-19 certificates are recognized as equivalent for free movement within the Union.
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam: A country whose COVID-19 certificates are recognized as equivalent for free movement within the Union.
Republic of Indonesia: A country whose COVID-19 certificates are recognized as equivalent for free movement within the Union.
Regulation EU 2021/953: A European Union regulation concerning digital COVID-19 certificates.
Brussels: The location where the decision was made.
L 85/16 EN Official Journal of the European Union 23.3.2023
DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No 209/2022
of 8 July 2022
amending Annex V (Free movement of workers) and Annex VIII (Right of establishment) to the EEA
Agreement [2023/626]
THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (“the EEA Agreement”), and in particular Article 98
thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/724 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence, for the purpose
of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of
Seychelles to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and
of the Council(1)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(2) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/725 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence, for the purpose
of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Socialist
Republic of Viet Nam to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European
Parliament and of the Council(2)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(3) Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/726 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence, for the purpose
of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the Republic of
Indonesia to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European Parliament and of
the Council(3)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(4) Annexes V and VIII to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The following points are inserted after point 10zi (Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/534) of Annex V to the
EEA Agreement:
‘10zj. 32022 D 0724: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/724 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Republic of Seychelles to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 28).
10zk. 32022 D 0725: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/725 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the
European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 31).
10zl. 32022 D 0726: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/726 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Republic of Indonesia to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 34).’
(1) OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 28.
(2) OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 31.
(3) OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 34.23.3.2023 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 85/17
Article 2
The following points are inserted after point 11zi (Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/534) of Annex VIII to
the EEA Agreement:
‘11zj. 32022 D 0724: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/724 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Republic of Seychelles to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 28).
11zk. 32022 D 0725: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/725 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the
European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 31).
11zl. 32022 D 0726: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/726 of 10 May 2022establishing the equivalence,
for the purpose of facilitating the right of free movement within the Union, of COVID-19 certificates issued by the
Republic of Indonesia to the certificates issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/953 of the European
Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 134, 11.5.2022, p. 34).’
Article 3
The texts of Implementing Decisions (EU) 2022/724, (EU) 2022/725 and (EU) 2022/726 in the Icelandic and Norwegian
languages, to be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union, shall be authentic.
Article 4
This Decision shall enter into force on 9 July 2022, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA
Agreement have been made*.
Article 5
This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European
Union.
Done at Brussels, 8 July 2022.
For the EEA Joint Committee
The President
Kristján Andri STEFÁNSSON
(*) No constitutional requirements indicated.