Prohibited are any agreement between companies, decisions of business associations and concerted practices that could affect the exchanges between the contracting parties and with the purpose or effect of preventing, restricting or distorting competition in the territory covered by this agreement, in particular those which, without prejudice to the application of the previous paragraph, cannot be the subject of an agreement on an amendment to the annex of this agreement. , the EEA Joint Committee is considering any other possibility of maintaining the smooth running of this agreement and is taking all necessary decisions to do so, including the possibility of taking note of the equivalence of the legislation. This decision is taken no later than six months from the date of referral to the EEA Joint Committee or, if that date is later, the date of the relevant EU legislation. Any convention or decision prohibited under paragraph 1 is automatically annulled and cannot be invoked in any jurisdiction of the EC Member States or EFTA States. The parties exchange information and information on the implementation of this agreement and the effects of integration on economic activity and the implementation of economic and monetary policy. They can also discuss macroeconomic situations, policies and perspectives. This exchange of opinions and information is not binding. EFTA states contribute to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area by funding investment and development projects in the priority sectors covered by Article 3. In paragraph 1, point (b), the customs authority may decide not to suspend the status of an approved economic operator if it considers that an infringement is not significant in relation to the number or size of customs operations and cannot cast any doubt on the good faith of the authorised economic operator. Unless otherwise stated in this agreement, and in particular protocols 41 and 43, the application of the provisions of this agreement prevails over the provisions of existing bilateral or multilateral agreements that bind the European Economic Community, on the one hand, and one or more EFTA States, on the other, as the same purpose falls under this agreement.

The EEA Joint Committee makes decisions by mutual agreement between the Community on the one hand and the EFTA States, which speak with one voice on the other. When the procedure under Article 93, paragraph 2, first and second paragraphs, of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community or the corresponding procedure established by an agreement between the EFTA States establishing the EFTA Supervisory Authority for State Aid Programmes and Cases is opened, the Commission or the EFTA Supervisory Authority communicate your comments to the other Authority as well as to the parties concerned. The terms of this participation are agreed between the parties and the candidate country.