Agreement on the European Economic Area

PART V HORIZONTAL PROVISIONS RELEVANT TO THE FOUR FREEDOMS

CHAPTER 1 SOCIAL POLICY

Article 66

The Contracting Parties agree upon the need to promote improved working conditions and an improved standard of living for workers.

Article 67

1. The Contracting Parties shall pay particular attention to encouraging improvements, especially in the working environment, as regards the health and safety of workers. In order to help achieve this objective, minimum requirements shall be applied for gradual implementation, having regard to the conditions and technical rules obtaining in each of the Contracting Parties. Such minimum requirements shall not prevent any Contracting Party from maintaining or introducing more stringent measures for the protection of working conditions compatible with this Agreement.

2. Annex XVIII specifies the provisions to be implemented as the minimum requirements referred to in paragraph 1.

Article 68

In the field of labour law, the Contracting Parties shall introduce the measures necessary to ensure the good functioning of this Agreement. These measures are specified in Annex XVIII.

Article 69

1. Each Contracting Party shall ensure and maintain the application of the principle that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work.

For the purposes of this Article, ‘pay’ means the ordinary basic or minimum wage or salary and any other consideration, whether in cash or in kind, which the worker receives, directly or indirectly, in respect of his employment from his employer.

Equal pay without discrimination based on sex means:

(a)

that pay for the same work at piece rates shall be calculated on the basis of the same unit of measurement;

(b)

that pay for work at time rates shall be the same for the same job.

2. Annex XVIII contains specific provisions for the implementation of paragraph 1.

Article 70

The Contracting Parties shall promote the principle of equal treatment for men and women by implementing the provisions specified in Annex XVIII.

Article 71

The Contracting Parties shall endeavour to promote the dialogue between management and labour at European level.

CHAPTER 2 CONSUMER PROTECTION

Article 72

Annex XIX contains provisions on consumer protection.

CHAPTER 3 ENVIRONMENT

Article 73

1. Action by the Contracting Parties relating to the environment shall have the following objectives:

(a)

to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment;

(b)

to contribute towards protecting human health;

(c)

to ensure a prudent and rational utilization of natural resources.

2. Action by the Contracting Parties relating to the environment shall be based on the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source, and that the polluter should pay. Environmental protection requirements shall be a component of the Contracting Parties' other policies.

Article 74

Annex XX contains the specific provisions on protective measures which shall apply pursuant to Article 73.

Article 75

The protective measures referred to in Article 74 shall not prevent any Contracting Party from maintaining or introducing more stringent protective measures compatible with this Agreement.

CHAPTER 4 STATISTICS

Article 76

1. The Contracting Parties shall ensure the production and dissemination of coherent and comparable statistical information for describing and monitoring all relevant economic, social and environmental aspects of the EEA.

2. To this end the Contracting Parties shall develop and use harmonized methods, definitions and classifications as well as common programmes and procedures organizing statistical work at appropriate administrative levels and duly observing the need for statistical confidentiality.

3. Annex XXI contains specific provisions on statistics.

4. Protocol 30 contains specific provisions on the organization of cooperation in the field of statistics.

CHAPTER 5 COMPANY LAW

Article 77

Annex XXII contains specific provisions on company law.