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  1. Negotiations

EFTA


While often overlooked, the European Free Trade Association -- composed of Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland -- actively seeks comprehensive bilateral FTAs much like its rivals the EU, the US, Japan, Canada or Australia. EFTA's outward push towards FTAs is led and dominated by corporate powerhouse Switzerland, home to some of the world's biggest pharmaceutical, agricultural biotechnology, banking and insurance companies.

EFTA has established important bilateral FTAs with Chile (2003), Israel (1992), Jordan (2001), Korea (2005), Lebanon (2004), Mexico (2000), Morocco (1997), the Palestinian Authority (1998), Turkey (1991), Singapore (2002), Tunisia (2004), the Southern Africa Customs Union (2006), Egypt (2007), Canada (2007), the GCC (2008), Colombia (2008) and Peru (2008).

The group is currently negotiating FTAs with India, Indonesia, Thailand, Algeria and Pakistan. It is expected to launch talks shortly with Malaysia and Vietnam, while similar deals with Russia and Ukraine are planned for later.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Campax

Norway must say no to the Mercosur agreement
9-Feb-2021     Handelskampanjen
Joint statement from several civil society organizations and farmers' associations with requirements for the Mercosur agreement.
The Swiss Farmers' Union: Sustainability reduced to absurdity
4-Feb-2021     Uniterre
The FTA with Indonesia showcases a supposed sustainability, but it is only a large-scale scam.
Dispute over palm oil: Agreement with Indonesia breaks new ground
15-Jan-2021     Info Sperber
Only implementation can show what the palm oil agreement with Indonesia is worth, says trade expert Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi.
EFTA-Ecuador FTA enters into force 1 November 2020
23-Sep-2020     International Trade Compliance Update
On 21 September 2020, the Federal Customs Administration announced that the EFTA-Ecuador Free Trade Agreement will enter into force on 1 November 2020.
No more EFTA power play against the South!
9-Jul-2020     Swiss Right to Seeds Coalition
Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway are undermining farmers’ rights to seeds in the countries of the global South
Swiss supermarkets ban produce from occupied Western Sahara
6-Jul-2020     WSRW
The Swiss Federal Council stated on several occasions that it did not consider its free trade agreement with Morocco to apply to the large part of Western Sahara that is under Moroccan occupation.
Call to action! Stop EFTA countries to undermine farmers’ rights to seed in free trade agreements
11-Jun-2020     Recht auf saatgut
Sign-on the letter for organisations.
Ecuador will approve the trade agreement with EFTA
23-Apr-2020     Fresh Plaza
The plenary session of the Assembly will process the agreement between Ecuador and the European Free Trade Association, after having the Constitutional Court approved it.
Swiss communists support “STOP Palm Oil” referendum against the FTA with Indonesia
13-Feb-2020     Peoples Dispatch
The Swiss parliament ratified a Free Trade Agreement between the European Free Trade Association and Indonesia, allegedly without addressing the environmental concerns regarding Indonesian palm oil production.
Signing of Switzerland-Turkey trade deal put on pause
3-Feb-2020     Swiss Info
The Swiss government has delayed fully signing off on the expanded free-trade deal between EFTA and Turkey amid concern about human rights abuses.

Referenced sites

EFTA FTAs

Database of all FTAs entered into by the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.)

EFTA Secretariat

Website of the EFTA Secretariat