About EFTA News

  • Interview with Dr Katrin Eggenberger, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein   18.12.2019

    On 11 November, Dr Katrin Eggenberger was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein.

  • EFTA Council adopts the budget for 2020   13.12.2019
    The EFTA Council is chaired by Norway in the second half of 2019.

    On 12 December, the ninth and last Council meeting of the year under the Norwegian chairmanship took place in Geneva. Switzerland will take over the rotating EFTA Chair in the first half of 2020.

  • EFTA Council discusses relations with third countries   14.11.2019
    The EFTA Council met in EFTA headquarters in Geneva.

    On 14 November, the EFTA Council met for the eighth time in 2019. During the meeting under Norwegian chairmanship, the delegates discussed work with regard to trade relations with third countries and among EFTA States.

  • Annual EFTA ECOFIN meeting focuses on sustainable finance   08.11.2019
    From left: Markus Biedermann, Ueli Maurer (Chair), Siv Jensen, Bjarni Benediktsson and Henri Gétaz.

    EFTA and EU Ministers of Finance and Economy discussed the economic, financial and political situation in Europe at their annual EFTA ECOFIN meeting in Brussels on 8 November 2019. This year’s topic concerned sustainable finance as a measure to tackle environmental challenges.

  • EFTA Council adopts different rotation for chairmanship   19.09.2019
    From left: Andri Lúthersson Deputy Secretary-General, Hege Marie Hoff Deputy Secretary-General, Henri Gétaz Secretary-General, Pascal Schafhauser Deputy Secretary-General, Dagfinn Sørli Norwegian Ambassador (Chair), Helga Helland Deputy Norwegian mission.

    On 19 September, the EFTA Council met for the seventh time in 2019, under the Norwegian Chairmanship. During the meeting, the delegates discussed work with regard to third countries and in particular the finalisation of the negotiations with Mercosur.

  • EFTA's 60th anniversary in 2020: Call for papers   12.07.2019
    Gottlieb Gut, Swiss Ambassador, signing the EFTA Convention on 4 January 1960

  • Norway takes on Chairmanship of EFTA Council and presents priorities   11.07.2019
    The EFTA Council met in Geneva under Norwegian Chairmanship on 11 July 2019

    The EFTA Council met in Geneva on 11 July under Norwegian Chairmanship.

  • EFTA Ministerial Meeting, Malbun, 24 June 2019   24.06.2019
    From left: Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Aurelia Frick, Guy Parmelin, Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, Henri Gétaz.

    At EFTA‘s Ministerial meeting in Malbun, on 24 June 2019, the Association‘s trade ministers expressed concerns over an increasingly uncertain global trade environment, both due to the uncertain outcome of the Brexit process and escalating trade tensions between the US and China. The ministers also underlined the importance of appointing new judges to the Appellate Body of the WTO to ensure the multilateral trade system continues to function while WTO reform is pursued, and reaffirmed their commitment to open trade on the basis of a transparent and rules-based international order.

  • EFTA represented at High-Level Conference on European Standardisation   24.06.2019
    EFTA Secretary-General, Henri Gétaz, participated in a panel discussion at a conference on European standardization titled "Standards advance and deepen the Single Market"

    The Romanian Ministry of Economy, in collaboration with the Romanian National Standards Body ASRO, organized on June 7th, at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, the High-Level Conference on European Standardisation “Standards connect markets – Standards advance and deepen the Single Market”.

  • EFTA Council meets in Geneva   14.05.2019
    The EFTA Council met for the third time in 2019 under the Liechtenstein Chairmanship

    Today, the EFTA Council met for the third time in 2019 under the Liechtenstein Chairmanship. During the meeting, the delegates discussed work with regard to third countries and in particular the recent negotiation round with Mercosur.