EFTA Council prepares for Ministerial meeting in Iceland

From left: Henri Gétaz, EFTA Secretary-General, Harald Aspelund, Ambassador of Iceland (Chair), Ólöf Kristjánsdóttir, Deputy Head of Icelandic Mission, Krisztina Bende, Director of EFTA trade relations, Ylva Bie, EFTA Senior Legal Adviser.

On 12 May, the EFTA Council met in Geneva to discuss the third-country agenda, including the horizontal issues, and the upcoming Ministerial meeting taking place in Borgarnes on 20 June under the Icelandic chairmanship.

The Council exchanged views on the preparations for the Ministerial meeting including on the meeting agendas for Ministers and for the encounter with the advisory bodies. Potential events with third countries in the margin of the meeting were also reviewed.

The Council discussed the latest developments in the negotiation processes with Kosovo, Moldova, and Thailand and noted with satisfaction that Sub- and Joint Committee meetings with Georgia are taking place on 12 and 13 May online and in Geneva as planned, with a review of the Free Trade Agreement Chapter on trade and sustainable development. The ongoing work of the Working Group on trade and sustainable development was presented by the Secretariat to the Council.

The Council also approved the operating grant agreement with the Environmental Coalition on Standards before being briefed on the latest developments in EFTA-EU cooperation. The EEA Council takes place on 23 May, followed by the inauguration event for EFTA House in Brussels.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 8 June 2022.

Find pictures from the meeting here.