Interdisciplinary EEA evening event
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Principality of Liechtenstein's membership of the EEA, a discussion event on the topic of ‘The tension between integration and sovereignty’ from an administrative science perspective was held at the University of Liechtenstein on 1 July 2025.
Marco Lettenbichler, Assistant Professor at the Chair of Society, Foundation and Trust Law at the University of Liechtenstein, moderated the evening and the panel discussion. Prime Minister Brigitte Haas opened the event with a welcoming address, in which she emphasised the importance of EEA membership for the Liechtenstein economy.
Specialist presentation and discussion
The evening focused on a specialist presentation by Jörg Röber, Professor of Administrative Management at Kehl University of Applied Sciences, on the topic of ‘30 years of Liechtenstein's EEA membership: opportunities and challenges of international and regional integration from an administrative science perspective’. He explored the issue of administrative capacity and highlighted the efficient organisation of the Liechtenstein national administration with regard to EEA membership. Jörg Röber was followed by a discussion between Andrea Entner-Koch, Head of the EEA Unit, and Christian Frommelt, Rector of the University of Liechtenstein, on the development and future of the EEA in Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein and the EEA
Andrea Entner-Koch gave the audience exciting insights into her daily work with EEA legal acts. Among other things, she showed how Liechtenstein can influence the development of EEA law through its participation in EU and EFTA committees. Christian Frommelt emphasised, among other things, that Liechtenstein cannot be described as a model pupil of the EEA. Rather, Liechtenstein acts very strategically. By implementing EEA law correctly and on time, Liechtenstein has gained the trust of the EFTA institutions and the EU. Liechtenstein in turn uses this trust to negotiate selective exemptions from the implementation of EEA law. As a result, Liechtenstein has a high implementation rate, but by far the most exemptions of all EEA countries.
