EEE Transport 2025: New Requirements for Companies with Routes to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein

Key data

Transport companies operating between Spain and the countries of the European Economic Area not belonging to the EU —Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein— have an immediate obligation: to verify that their licenses, certifications and operational procedures comply with the new requirements incorporated into the Annex XIII of the EEE Agreement through Decision 315/2025 of the EEE Joint Committee.

This decision, adopted on 5 December 2025 and published in the Official Journal on 16 April 2026, updates the regulatory framework for transport in the expanded economic area, incorporating new European transport regulations that now also apply in these three countries. If your company operates international routes to or from these destinations, the clock is already ticking.

What does this regulation establish?

The EEE Joint Committee is the body responsible for maintaining regulatory coherence between the European Union and the three EEE countries that are not EU members: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Periodically, this committee updates the annexes of the EEE Agreement to incorporate European legislation that must also apply in those countries.

Decision 315/2025 specifically amends Annex XIII of the EEE Agreement, which regulates transport. With this amendment, new European transport regulations become applicable in the expanded EEE area, ensuring that the rules of the game are the same for all operators acting in this economic area.

In practical terms, this means that transport operators working on routes between the EU and Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein must operate under an updated and homogeneous regulatory framework. The adjustments may affect:

• International transport licenses
• Certifications of operators and vehicles
• Operational procedures for transport in the EEE area

The decision does not specify in its publication which specific European regulations are incorporated into Annex XIII, so it is essential to consult the full text on EUR-Lex to identify the specific legislative acts that are added or modified.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this decision translates into operational adaptation costs for affected transport companies. Although the decision does not establish specific economic sanctions or fee amounts, the practical effects may include:

• License review and update: If the new requirements incorporated into Annex XIII require modifications to international transport licenses, companies will need to initiate the corresponding administrative procedures, with associated management costs.
• Certification adaptation: Vehicles, drivers or procedures that require new certifications will involve training, inspection or processing costs.
• Operational procedure review: Companies with regular operations on these routes will need to audit their internal processes to ensure compliance, which requires time and management resources.
• Risk of operational paralysis: Non-compliance with the new requirements may result in problems accessing the markets of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, with the consequent impact on revenue from affected routes.

The advantage of this update is that it standardizes the rules for all EEE operators, which in the long term facilitates planning and reduces regulatory uncertainty on these international routes.

Who does it affect?

This regulation directly affects:

• Road transport companies with regular or sporadic routes to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• Freight transport operators that use the EEE corridor for their international logistics operations
• Passenger transport companies with international lines that include these countries
• Logistics operators and freight forwarders that coordinate transport in the EEE area
• Compliance advisors and departments of companies with transport activity in the EEE
• CFOs and operations directors of companies with exposure to non-EU EEE routes

Spanish companies that operate exclusively within the EU are not directly affected by this decision, unless they have routes that include one of the three non-EU EEE countries mentioned.

Practical example

A Spanish road freight transport company that operates a regular route between Barcelona and Oslo (Norway) should act as follows in response to Decision 315/2025:

1. Access the full text of the decision on EUR-Lex to identify which specific European regulations have been incorporated into Annex XIII of the EEE Agreement.
2. Compare those regulations with its current situation: valid licenses, certifications of vehicles and drivers, and documented operational procedures for the Barcelona-Oslo route.
3. If it detects that any of the new incorporated regulations requires additional requirements —for example, new driver certifications or adaptations in transport documents—, it initiates the adaptation procedures.
4. Document the review process to be able to demonstrate to an inspection that the company has actively verified its compliance since the decision came into force (5 December 2025).

This same process applies to any company with routes to Iceland or Liechtenstein. The key is not to assume that the previous situation remains valid without having reviewed the specific content of the decision.

What should companies do now?

1. Consult the full text of Decision 315/2025 on EUR-Lex to identify exactly which European regulations are incorporated into Annex XIII of the EEE Agreement and which affect your specific activity.
2. Audit current licenses and certifications for international transport in the EEE area, verifying whether the new incorporated requirements require updates or additional procedures.
3. Review operational procedures for routes to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein to detect possible misalignments with the new incorporated regulation.
4. Consult with a specialist advisor in international transport if the internal review detects areas of non-compliance or uncertainty about the application of the new requirements.
5. Document the review process and keep evidence of the actions taken to demonstrate diligent compliance from the date of entry into force: 5 December 2025.
6. Establish a regulatory alert system for future amendments to Annex XIII of the EEE Agreement, as the Joint Committee periodically updates these annexes as the EU approves new transport legislation.