Preparing for Brexit: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein
This page brings together guidance and information relating to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein (‘EEA EFTA States’), to help people and businesses prepare for our exit from the EU in all scenarios.
The EEA EFTA States are party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) and participate in other EU arrangements. These arrangements are the primary basis for the UK’s current cooperation with these countries in a number of important areas, including on trade and citizens’ rights to reside and work.
The UK is seeking to maintain the relationship and cooperation we currently enjoy with the EEA EFTA States as we exit the EU. The Government has been working with the EEA EFTA States to put in place arrangements across a range of issues to safeguard our important relationships.
If the UK leaves with a deal, the EU has agreed that it will notify treaty partners and third countries that the UK is treated as an EU Member State for the purposes of its international agreements during the implementation period up until 31 December 2020. This includes the EEA Agreement, as well as all other agreements between the EU and the EEA EFTA States. This would provide a basis for continuity until the end of this period. Once the implementation period ends, the UK will no longer be covered by these agreements, including the EEA Agreement.
We have also reached an agreement with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein on protecting citizens’ rights and resolving separation issues as the UK exits the EU. This will apply if the UK leaves the EU with a deal, and largely mirrors the Withdrawal Agreement agreed with the EU.
Agreements in the event of no deal
In the event that the UK leaves without a deal, the EEA Agreement, and other agreements between the EU and EEA EFTA states, will no longer operate in respect of the UK when we leave the EU.
The Government has been undertaking a significant programme of work to identify which international agreements need to be retained on exit, and to put in place arrangements with international partners to replicate the effects of the current agreements for this eventuality.
As part of this, we have been working with the EEA EFTA states to put in place arrangements across a range of issues to ensure continuity in our relations. We have successfully concluded, or are in the process of concluding, the following agreements with the EEA EFTA states:
- EEA EFTA Citizens’ Rights Agreement
- Norway and Iceland Trading Arrangements
- UK-Switzerland-Liechtenstein Trade Agreement
- Norway Fishing Agreement
- Iceland Air Services Arrangement
- Norway Air Services Arrangement
- Norway Road Transport Agreement
- Iceland Transitional Migration MoU
You can view further information on the status of international agreements that the government is seeking to transition here.
Other steps relevant to no deal
We have published extensive advice on the steps businesses and citizens may need to take to prepare for our exit from the EU in all scenarios. A number of these publications provide guidance and advice relevant to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. These are listed below.
In some cases, these publications also set out measures the UK is taking unilaterally to safeguard our relationships with the EU, EEA EFTA states and Switzerland in the event that the UK leaves without a deal.
Please note that this is a collection of guidance and may therefore not be an exhaustive list of all guidance relevant to you. You should refer to gov.uk/euexit for further information relating to Brexit.
Citizens’ Rights and Migration
Guidance on the Settlement Scheme for EU, EEA EFTA and Swiss nationals
Staying in the UK for longer than 3 months if there’s no Brexit deal
Passport rules for travel to Europe after Brexit
No deal preparations for schools in England
No deal preparations for further education and apprenticeship providers
No deal preparations for higher education institutions
No deal preparations for local authority children’s services in England
Trade
UK trade agreements with non-EU countries in a no-deal Brexit
Accounting for UK companies after Brexit
Auditing for UK auditors and audit firms operating in the EEA after Brexit
Providing services including those of a qualified professional after Brexit
Norway: providing services after Brexit
Iceland: providing services after Brexit
Liechtenstein: providing services after Brexit
UK, EU and EFTA legal professionals after Brexit
Exporting animals, animal products, fish and fishery products to the EU
Importing animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed not of animal origin after Brexit
Export horses and ponies: special rules
Exporting GM food and animal feed products
Trading timber: imports and exports if there’s no Brexit deal
Exporting objects of cultural interest
Financial Services
Banking, insurance and other financial services
Regulations and standards
Developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
Producing and processing organic food
Protecting geographical food and drink names
Control on persistent organic pollutants
Industrial emissions standards (‘best available techniques’)
Upholding environmental standards
Registration of veterinary medicines
Food and feed safety risk assessment and management
Manufacturing and marketing fertilisers
How to comply with pesticide regulations
Maintaining the continuity of waste shipments
EU Third Health Programme funding
Labelling tobacco products and e-cigarettes
Ensuring blood and blood products are safe
How medicines, medical devices and clinical trials would be regulated if there’s no Brexit deal *
Quality and safety of organs, tissues and cells
Submitting regulatory information on medical products
Exhaustion of intellectual property rights
Merger review and anti-competitive activity*
Geo-blocking of online content
Consumer rights if there’s no Brexit deal
Meeting climate change requirements
Running an oil or gas business
Placing manufactured goods on the UK market
Placing manufactured goods on the EU internal market
Travelling with a European Firearms Pass
Transport
Prepare to work and operate in the European aviation sector after Brexit
Air services from the EU to the UK
Prepare to drive in the EU and EEA after Brexit
Prepare to drive in the EU and EEA after Brexit: bus and coach drivers
Prepare to drive in the EU and EEA after Brexit: lorry and goods vehicle drivers
Rail transport, safety and technical standards
Vehicle type-approval if there’s no Brexit deal
Reporting CO2 emissions for new cars and vans
Recognition of seafarer certificates of competency
Run international bus or coach services and tours after Brexit
Driving in the EU after Brexit: driving licence exchange
Communications and telecoms
Broadcasting and video on demand
What telecoms businesses should do if there’s no Brexit deal
Civil and Judicial Cooperation
Handling civil legal cases that involve EU countries if there’s no Brexit deal
Data protection
Fishing
Fishing and marketing of seafood if there’s no Brexit deal
Import fish after a no-deal Brexit
*Guidance, advice and measures in this publication are only partly relevant to the EEA EFTA states.
**EEA EFTA states do not have fully harmonised legislation regarding plants; this technical notice applies to EEA as it relates to the marketing requirements of fodder seed, cereal seed, beet seed, vegetable seed, and seed of oil and fibre plants only.