**Executive Summary**
This document is a decision by the EEA Joint Committee, No 225/2025, dated 19 September 2025, amending Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement regarding rules of origin. The main action is the deletion of Appendix A to Protocol 4. The decision enters into force on 20 September 2025, provided all notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement have been made.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment of Protocol 4:**
* Appendix A to Protocol 4 of the EEA Agreement is deleted.
* **Entry into Force:**
* The decision enters into force on 20 September 2025.
* Entry into force is conditional upon all notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement being completed.
* **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**
**Contracting Parties to the PEM Convention**
* **Impact**: The alternative set of rules of origin as included in Appendix A to Protocol 4 shall no longer apply to the Contracting Parties and will consequently be repealed under the EEA Agreement.
* **Action Required**: N/A
**EEA Members**
* **Impact**: Must adhere to the new amendment of Protocol 4.
* **Action Required**: Ensure all notifications under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement are made for the decision to come into force.
Key Entities Referenced
EEA Agreement: Agreement on the European Economic Area
Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement: Protocol governing rules of origin under the EEA Agreement
EEA Joint Committee: The EEA Joint Committee, responsible for decisions related to the EEA Agreement
PEM Convention: The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin
Brussels: Location where the decision was made
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/41 15.1.2026
DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEENo 225/2025
of 19 September 2025
amending Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement, on rules of origin [2026/41]
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) Article 9 of the EEA Agreement refers to Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement (‘Protocol 4’) which lays down the rules of
origin.
(2) The Regional Convention on pan-Euro-Mediterranean preferential rules of origin (‘the PEM Convention’) aims to
transpose the existing bilateral systems of rules of origin established in bilateral free trade agreements concluded
among the Contracting Parties to the PEM Convention into a multilateral framework, without prejudice to the
principles laid down in those bilateral agreements.
(3) Following the conclusion and entry into force of the amendment of the PEM Convention, as included in the EEA
Agreement by Decision by the EEA Joint Committee No 309/2024(1), the alternative set of rules of origin as
included in Appendix A to Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement shall no longer apply to the Contracting Parties and
will consequently be repealed under the EEA Agreement.
(4) Protocol 4 should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The text of Appendix A to Protocol 4 to the EEA Agreement is deleted.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on 20 September 2025, provided that all the notifications under Article 103(1) of the
EEA Agreement have been made(*).
Article 3
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, 19 September 2025.
For the EEA Joint Committee
The President
Stefán Haukur JÓHANNESSON
(1) OJ L 2025/578, 24.4.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/578/oj.
(*) No constitutional requirements indicated.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2026/41/oj 1/1