History

A trade and economic partnership agreement is signed with India.

An FTA is signed with Moldova.

The EEA EFTA States and the UK signed a comprehensive FTA.

The EFTA Secretariat moves its Brussels office to EFTA House on Avenue des Arts, sharing the building with the EEA and Norway Grants and the EFTA Surveillance Authority. The UK leaves the EU and ceases to be a contracting party to the EEA Agreement. The EEA EFTA States and the UK sign a Separation Agreement.

EFTA and Türkiye sign a modernised and expanded FTA. Comprehensive economic partnership agreements are signed with Ecuador and Indonesia. A JDC is signed with Kosovo.

FTAs are signed with Georgia and the Philippines.

A joint declaration on cooperation (JDC) is signed with Ecuador. EFTA and Central American States sign the Protocol of Accession of Guatemala to the EFTA – Central America FTA.

An agreement on EEA enlargement is signed following Croatia’s accession to the EU. New Financial Mechanisms are agreed for the period 2014–2021.

FTAs are signed with Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Central America States (Costa Rica and Panama).

FTAs are signed with Hong Kong China and Montenegro.

Iceland begins accession negotiations with the EU. The EEA EFTA Forum of Elected Representatives of Local and Regional Authorities is established. FTAs are signed with Peru and Ukraine.

Iceland applies for EU membership. New Financial Mechanisms are agreed for the period 2009–2014. FTAs are signed with Albania, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Serbia.

An agreement on EEA enlargement is signed as Bulgaria and Romania join the EU.

Five FTAs are signed between 2005 and 2008 (in chronological order: Republic of Korea, Southern African Customs Union, Egypt, Canada and Colombia).

EU and EEA enlargement enter into effect simultaneously.

An agreement on EEA enlargement is signed as ten Central and Southern European countries join the EU. New EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms are established for the period 2004–2009.

The updated EFTA Convention is signed in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, entering into force a year later.

A new EEA Financial Instrument is established for the period 1999–2003. Eight FTAs are signed between 2000 and 2004 (in chronological order: Macedonia, Mexico, Croatia, Jordan, Singapore, Chile, Lebanon and Tunisia).

Austria, Finland and Sweden leave EFTA to join the EU. Liechtenstein becomes a full participant in the EEA, together with Iceland and Norway.

The EEA Agreement enters into force between the EU and five EFTA States. An EEA Financial Mechanism for the reduction of economic and social disparities in the EEA is established for the period 1994–1998.

The Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) is signed in Oporto, Portugal. Switzerland rejects participation in the EEA by referendum.

Liechtenstein becomes a member of EFTA. An FTA is signed with Türkiye, EFTA’s oldest free trade agreement still in force. A further 12 FTAs are signed in the 1990s, of which three are still in force (Israel, Morocco and the Palestinian Authority). The others, all of which are with Central and Eastern European countries, lapse when those countries join the European Union (EU).

Negotiations start on a European Economic Space, later to become the European Economic Area (EEA). An agreement on free trade in fish is signed between the EFTA States.

Finland becomes a full member of EFTA.

Portugal leaves EFTA to become a member of the EEC.

The Luxembourg Declaration on broader cooperation between the EEC and EFTA is signed.

EFTA’s first FTA is signed with Spain.

The EFTA Parliamentary Committee is established. Tariffs on industrial goods in trade are eliminated between the EEC and the EFTA States.

Denmark and the UK leave EFTA to join the European Economic Community (EEC). The remaining EFTA States sign bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with the EEC during the 1970s.

Iceland becomes a member of EFTA.

Full free trade in industrial products is achieved between the EFTA States.

Finland becomes an associate member of EFTA. The EFTA Consultative Committee is established (representatives of trade unions and employers’ organisations).

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is founded by Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK) to promote closer economic cooperation and free trade in Europe.