The European Economic Area (EEA) is a region that includes the member states of the European Union (EU) and three of the four member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. It was established to allow these countries to participate in the EU's single market, enabling the free movement of goods, services, people, and capital. The EEA agreement, signed in 1992, aims to promote economic cooperation and integration among its members. While the EEA countries benefit from the single market, they are not part of the EU's political structures and do not have voting rights in EU institutions.