EEA Order in force
01 September 1994
The European Economic Area (EEA) order enacting in domestic law the provisions of the Maastricht treaty, which was delayed for months while experts argued as to its compatibility with the treaty's free movement provisions (see Statewatch vol 4 no 3), came into force on 20 July with all its original controversial provisions intact. Particularly controversial is the provision purporting to exclude from the benefit of free movement those spouses of EEA nationals believed by British officials to be parties to marriages of convenience. The EEA Order is likely to be the subject of litigation in the European Court of Justice before long.