The EFTA Court
The EFTA Court has jurisdiction with regard to EFTA States which are parties to the EEA Agreement (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway). The EEA Agreement extends the EU’s internal market to the three participating EFTA States.
The jurisdiction of the EFTA Court largely corresponds to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union in respect of the EU States. The main type of cases brought before the EFTA Court are: infringement proceedings brought by the EFTA Surveillance Authority against an EFTA State concerning the State’s failure to comply with EEA law; judicial reviews of decisions taken by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and advisory opinions to courts in the EFTA States on the interpretation of EEA law. The proceedings before the EFTA Court consist of a written part and an oral part and all proceedings are conducted in English. In direct actions, the judgment is rendered in English only. Advisory opinions are rendered in English and in the language of the requesting court.
The EFTA Court consists of three Judges; one nominated by each of the EFTA States. The Judges are appointed by common accord of the Governments for a period of six years. The Judges elect their President for a term of three years. The Court remains permanently in session. It only sits in plenary session, and its decisions are taken by majority. No dissenting opinion may be made public. The procedure followed by the Court is laid down in the Statute of the EFTA Court and in the Court´s Rules of Procedure.
The Court´s Registrar is responsible for the administration of the Court and for certain procedural and other issues.