In November 2012, after the Council of the European Union had called for an evaluation of the EU's relations with the sovereign European microstates of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, which they described as "fragmented", the European Commission published a report outlining options for their further integration into the EU. Unlike Liechtenstein, which is a member of the EEA via the EFTA and the Schengen Agreement, relations with these three states are based on a collection of agreements covering specific issues. The report examined four alternatives to the current situation: 1) a Sectoral Approach with separate agreements with each state covering an entire policy area, 2) a comprehensive, multilateral Framework Association Agreement (FAA) with the three states, 3) EEA membership, and 4) EU membership. The Commission argued that the sectoral approach did not address the major issues and was still needlessly complicated, while EU membership was dismissed in the near future because "the EU institutions are currently not adapted to the accession of such small-sized countries". The remaining options, EEA membership and an FAA with the states, were found to be viable and were recommended by the commission.
In November 2012 after the Council of the European Union had called for an evaluation of the EU's relations with the sovereign European microstates of Andorra Monaco and San Marino which they described as "fragmented" the European Commission published a report outlining options for their further integration into the EU Unlike Liechtenstein which is a member of the EEA via the EFTA and the Schengen Agreement relations with these three states are based on a collection of agreements covering specific issues The report examined four alternatives to the current situation 1) a Sectoral Approach with separate agreements with each state covering an entire policy area 2) a comprehensive multilateral Framework Association Agreement (FAA) with the three states 3) EEA membership and 4) EU membership The Commission argued that the sectoral approach did not address the major issues and was still needlessly complicated while EU membership was dismissed in the near future because "the EU institutions are currently not adapted to the accession of such small-sized countries" The remaining options EEA membership and an FAA with the states were found to be viable and were recommended by the commission