EFTA Council meets for first time in 2026

On EFTA’s relations with the EU, the Council was informed that Norway had taken over as Chair of the EFTA Standing Committee on 1 January 2026, prioritising smoother incorporation of EU acts, closer dialogue with the EU on trade and economic security, and greater visibility for EEA cooperation. The first meetings of the EFTA Standing Committee and EEA Joint Committee under the new Chair would take place on 5 and 6 February, respectively. The Council also noted that Cyprus had assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, succeeding Denmark.

With regard to trade relations, Member States reviewed ongoing free trade negotiations with Viet Nam, the implementation of newly concluded agreements, including the EFTA–India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, and the ratification status of signed agreements. Discussions also covered potential modernisation processes, other trade-related processes such as ASEAN, and work on preference utilisation monitoring.

During the meeting, the Council approved the 2026 technical cooperation work programme in the field of statistics.  

The next EFTA Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 17 March 2026.