Foreword from the Secretary-General
In 2025, EFTA marked 65 years of championing economic collaboration, signing six agreements with partners across three continents. This underlines the continued dynamism of EFTA’s global trade network and illustrates the value of EFTA as a trusted and forward-looking partner in rules-based cooperation.
EFTA States
Iceland
Capital: Reykjavik
Language: Icelandic
Currency: Icelandic króna (ISK)
Government website
Liechtenstein
Capital: Vaduz
Language: German
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Goverment website
Norway
Capital: Oslo
Language: Norwegian, Sami
Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK)
Government website
Switzerland
Capital: Bern
Language: German, French, Italian, Romansh
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Government website
2025 Highlights
Trade Relations
92
Meetings with partners
121
EFTA internal meetings
23
Heads or high-level meetings with partners
EEA Coordination
588
Legal acts incorporated into the EEA Agreement
10
EEA Joint Committee meetings
2
EEA Council meetings
Statistical Cooperation
5
Courses under the European Statistical Training Programme financed and co-organised by EFTA
6
EFTA national experts seconded to Eurostat
96%
of Eurostat meetings under the European Statistical System relevant to the EFTA States were attended by EFTA experts
Internal Market
33
meetings under Subcommittee I
23
meetings under Subcommittee II
4
meetings under Subcommittee III
27
meetings under Subcommittee IV
4
meetings under Subcommittee V
6
EEA EFTA Comments submitted
2025 Moments
The EEA EFTA States submit an EEA EFTA Comment on cooperation in EU programmes
EFTA and Invest India launch the EFTA Desk to promote business investment in India
The EEA EFTA States submit EEA EFTA Comments on investment screening and the revised Measuring Instruments Directive
EFTA parliamentarians and social partners meet in Geneva to discuss EFTA’s third-country agenda
EFTA’s flagship EEA Seminar draws close to 600 participants
EFTA publishes the latest EFTA FTA Monitor with extended coverage
EFTA and Ukraine sign a modernised free trade agreement in Kyiv, Ukraine
EFTA parliamentarians visit Malaysia to strengthen parliamentary ties
The EFTA Consultative Committee holds its annual meeting with the EFTA Standing Committee, and meets with EU representatives in the EEA Consultative Committee
Heads of the EFTA National Statistical Institutes hold their annual meeting in Oslo, Norway
The 60th EEA Council takes place in Brussels, with economic security at the top of the agenda
The EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee discusses global developments in Akureyri, Iceland
EFTA organises a high-level seminar with Eurostat and UNECE on official statistics in a changing world
The EFTA Ministerial meeting takes place in Tromsø, Norway
EFTA and Malaysia sign an economic partnership agreement
EFTA parliamentarians and social partners discuss the future of EFTA’s trade policy with EFTA Ministers
The EEA EFTA States submit an EEA EFTA Comment on the European preference requirement
EFTA and MERCOSUR conclude negotiations on a free trade agreement
EFTA and Singapore conclude negotiations on a digital economy agreement
The EEA EFTA States submit an EEA EFTA Comment on the Omnibus proposals
The EFTA–MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreement is signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The EFTA–Singapore Digital Economy Agreement is signed in Bern, Switzerland
The second EEA Seminar of the year draws over 350 participants
The EFTA–India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement enters into force
EFTA and Viet Nam make progress in their 18th round of free trade negotiations
The 61st EEA Council takes place at EFTA House, with an orientation debate on the EU’s simplification agenda
EFTA parliamentarians and social partners discuss EEA cooperation when they meet with the EEA EFTA Foreign Ministers
Global unrest, trade issues and competitiveness are on the agenda when the EEA Joint Parliamentary Committee convenes in Strasbourg
The annual EFTA ECOFIN meeting in Brussels highlights the importance of advancing prosperity through open trade
The EEA EFTA States submit an EEA EFTA Comment on EU programme participation
The EEA Consultative Committee adopts a Resolution and Report calling for stronger cooperation on security, defence and civil preparedness when it meets in Copenhagen
The EEA EFTA Forum adopts Opinions on the EU Skills Union and the Union Civil Protection Mechanism at its meeting in Brussels
EFTA Secretariat
15
different nationalities including
73 EFTA nationals
Staff Generations
4%
Baby Boomers
26%
Generation X
54%
Millennials
16%
Generation Z
Annual Report 2025
European Free Trade Association