EFTA
The Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein in Geneva, headed by Ambassador Kurt Jäger, is responsible for EFTA affairs. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was founded in 1960 by seven Western European States (Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom) as a reaction to the creation of the European Communities (EC). The Stockholm Convention established a free trade zone for industrial goods. A lean institutional system with a Secretariat and various committees supports the activities of the Association. The highest decision-making body is the EFTA Council. Iceland joined in 1970 and Finland in 1986. Denmark and the United Kingdom left EFTA in 1973 when they joined the EC, Portugal in 1986, and Austria, Finland, and Sweden in 1995.
Pursuant to the Customs Union with Switzerland, Liechtenstein was indirectly – through a special protocol – included in EFTA and the 1972 Swiss-EC free trade agreement. In 1991, Liechtenstein became a full member of EFTA, in order to represent its own interests beyond the scope of the Customs Treaty in the negotiations on the European Economic Area (EEA), such as with respect to the free movement of services and persons. Moreover, the EFTA States have concluded numerous free trade agreements with third States since 1991. The replacement of the Stockholm Convention with the Vaduz Convention in 2002 enabled the remaining EFTA States Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland to attain a level of economic integration that corresponds in essence to the content of the Bilateral Agreements between Switzerland and the EU and that approaches the EEA in the areas covered by the Convention.
The headquarters of EFTA are located in Geneva. However, after entry into force of the EEA, the part of the EFTA Secretariat exclusively concerned with EEA matters was moved to Brussels. The focus of the activities in Geneva is to manage EFTA relations with third countries, mainly through the negotiation and maintenance of free trade agreements. Currently, the EFTA network comprises 30 Free Trade Agreements with a total of 41 countries and territories outside the European Union (status July 2023). Negotiations with other partner countries are ongoing.
From 1st July 2022 until 30 June 2023 Liechtenstein held the EFTA Chairmanship. Minister Dominique Hasler hosted the EFTA Ministerial Meeting on 26 - 28 June 2023 in Schaan. Press Release German only
As of 1st July 2023 Switzerland holds the EFTA Chairmanship (until 30 June 2024).