50 Years of EFTA

In 2010, the European Free Trade Association celebrated its 50th anniversary. The EFTA Convention entered into force on 3 May 1960. In connection with this milestone in EFTA's existence and the 15th anniversary of the EEA Agreement, which entered into force in 1994, EFTA organised a seminar in November 2009 in Geneva, entitled Partners in Progress. A book including material from the seminar, called EFTA 1960 – 2010: Elements of 50 Years of European History, was presented on 3 May in Geneva and on 5 May in Brussels. Commemorative events also took place in several of EFTA's free trade partner countries as well as during the EFTA summer ministerial meeting in Iceland in June. On the occasion of the winter ministerial meeting in Geneva in November, Switzerland held a special seminar on world trade. You can order the book here.

Commemorative Publications

In this section

A short introduction to 50 Years of EFTA

This fact sheet gives a brief overview of the main developments in EFTA over the last 50 years.

Photographs

This section contains a selection of the photographs used in EFTA's 50th anniversary book entitled "Elements of 50 Years of European History".

EFTA 1960-2010 - Partners in Progress

Leaders in politics and academia came together for a seminar held in Geneva on 10 November 2009.

Press Release

See the press release published on the 3 May 2010 in relation with the 50th anniversary event.

EFTA 50th anniversary stamps

Here you can find the stamps that were published by Liechtenstein and Switzerland in recognition of EFTA's 50th anniversary celebrations.

EFTA 50th anniversary concert

Here you can find the programme of the 50th anniversary concert, held at EFTA's summer ministerial meeting from 23 to 25 June 2010 in Reykjavik.

EFTA logos

Here you can find the various EFTA logos over the last 50 years (click on the image below to open the picture album).

The current logo can be downloaded from here.

Swiss present to EFTA

Here you can find pictures from a celebratory dinner in Geneva on 22 November 2010 at which the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, presented a painting to EFTA in the presence of ministers from the four EFTA Member States and EFTA Secretary-General Kåre Bryn.

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