EEE Certification 2026: What Changes for Companies Exporting to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein

Key data

If your company markets products with CE marking or other technical certifications in the European Economic Area, this decision directly affects you. The Decision No. 75/2026 of the EEA Joint Committee amends Annex II of the EEA Agreement, the text that harmonizes technical standards, testing and product certification between the European Union and the three non-EU countries of the EEA: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The objective is to incorporate new EU technical regulations into the EEA legal framework, ensuring that certification rules are uniform throughout the economic area. For exporting companies, this means that the conditions for market access in those three countries may have changed.

What does this regulation establish?

The EEA Agreement extends the EU internal market to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. For this to work, Annex II of the Agreement sets out the technical standards, testing requirements and certification systems that must be applied equivalently in all EEA countries.

When the EU approves new technical regulations, the EEA Joint Committee must formally incorporate them into the Agreement through a decision. That is exactly what Decision 75/2026 does: it updates Annex II to reflect the most recent EU regulatory changes in product certification.

The three non-EU EEA countries —Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein— are obliged to adapt their national legislation to this update. Until they do so, there may be a transitional period with divergent requirements that exporting companies must be aware of.

Economic and operational impact

The main impact is not a new fee or direct penalty: it is the risk that a certification that is valid today will no longer be valid in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if it is not adapted to the new requirements incorporated into Annex II.

The concrete operational consequences for affected companies are:

• Review of current certifications: If you have products certified for the EEA market, you must verify whether the technical reference standards have changed with this update.
• Possible new testing: If the regulations incorporated into Annex II introduce more stringent technical requirements, it may be necessary to repeat testing or update technical documentation.
• Risk of customs blockade: Products that do not comply with the new technical requirements may be rejected at the border or withdrawn from the market in non-EU EEA countries.
• Variable adaptation cost: It depends on the sector and type of product. Sectors with higher technical regulatory density (electrical equipment, machinery, medical devices, construction products) are the most exposed.

Who does it affect?

• Spanish exporters to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with products subject to mandatory technical certification.
• Manufacturers with CE marking that market their products in the EEA beyond the EU.
• Importers and distributors that operate as responsible for technical compliance in those markets.
• Certification bodies and testing laboratories that issue certificates valid for the EEA market.
• Quality, regulatory and compliance departments of industrial companies with activity in the EEA.
• Advisors and consultants in foreign trade that manage operations to the three non-EU EEA countries.

Practical example

A Spanish manufacturer of industrial electrical equipment regularly exports to Norway. Its products are certified under European low voltage and electromagnetic compatibility directives, with testing carried out in an accredited EU laboratory.

With Decision 75/2026, Annex II of the EEA Agreement is updated to incorporate new EU technical regulations. If any of the harmonized standards of reference for electrical equipment has been modified or replaced in this update, the company's certificates may need review before Norway adapts its national legislation.

The immediate step for this company is to contact its notified body or testing laboratory to confirm whether the technical standards under which its products were certified remain current in the new Annex II, or whether it is necessary to update the technical documentation.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify whether you have products certified for the non-EU EEA market (Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein). If you do not export to these three countries, this decision does not directly affect you.
2. Review what EU technical regulations have been incorporated into Annex II through this decision. Consult the full text in the EU Official Journal to identify the specific legal acts incorporated.
3. Check with your notified body or testing laboratory whether the reference standards of your current certifications are affected by the changes to Annex II.
4. Update technical documentation and declarations of conformity if the reference standards have changed, before making new shipments to non-EU EEA countries.
5. Monitor the legislative adaptation of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as these countries must incorporate the changes into their national legislation and may establish transitional periods.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/./legal-content/AUTO/?uri=OJ:L_202601324