European Free Trade Association
European Free Trade Association
Renata Culcean 1st year IBM 23th of November 2010
Table of contents
I. Foundation 3
II. The Association is responsible for the management of: 3
III. The EFTA States 5
IV. Free Trade Agreements 6
V. What is in an EFTA Free Trade Agreement? 6
5.1 Agriculture 6
5.2 Fish and other Marine Products 7
5.3 Rules of Origin 7
5.4 Public Procurement 7
5.5 Intellectual Property Rights 8
5.6 Competition Rules 8
5.7 Services and Investment 8
VI. Joint Committee 9
VII. Dispute Settlement 9
VIII. Ongoing negotiations or talks 9
IX. Trade Relations 9
X. 50 Years of EFTA 10
Bibliography 11
I. Foundation
EFTA was founded by the Stockholm Convention in 1960. The immediate aim of the association was to provide a framework for the liberalization of trade in goods amongst its Member States. At the same time EFTA was established as an economic counterbalance to the more politically driven EEC. Relations with the EEC, later the EC and the EU, have been at the core of EFTA activities from the beginning. In the 1970s the EFTA States concluded free trade agreements with the EC; in 1994 the EEA Agreement entered into force. Since the beginning of the 1990s EFTA has actively pursued trade relations with third countries in and beyond Europe. The first partners were the central and Eastern Europe countries, followed by the countries in the Mediterranean area. In recent years the EFTA network of free trade agreements has reached across the Atlantic as well as into Asia.
EFTA was founded by the following seven countries: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Finland joined in 1961, Iceland in 1970, and Liechtenstein in 1991. In 1973, the UK and Denmark left EFTA to join the EC. They were followed by Portugal in 1986 and by Austria,
Renata Culcean 1st year IBM 23th of November 2010
Table of contents
I. Foundation 3
II. The Association is responsible for the management of: 3
III. The EFTA States 5
IV. Free Trade Agreements 6
V. What is in an EFTA Free Trade Agreement? 6
5.1 Agriculture 6
5.2 Fish and other Marine Products 7
5.3 Rules of Origin 7
5.4 Public Procurement 7
5.5 Intellectual Property Rights 8
5.6 Competition Rules 8
5.7 Services and Investment 8
VI. Joint Committee 9
VII. Dispute Settlement 9
VIII. Ongoing negotiations or talks 9
IX. Trade Relations 9
X. 50 Years of EFTA 10
Bibliography 11
I. Foundation
EFTA was founded by the Stockholm Convention in 1960. The immediate aim of the association was to provide a framework for the liberalization of trade in goods amongst its Member States. At the same time EFTA was established as an economic counterbalance to the more politically driven EEC. Relations with the EEC, later the EC and the EU, have been at the core of EFTA activities from the beginning. In the 1970s the EFTA States concluded free trade agreements with the EC; in 1994 the EEA Agreement entered into force. Since the beginning of the 1990s EFTA has actively pursued trade relations with third countries in and beyond Europe. The first partners were the central and Eastern Europe countries, followed by the countries in the Mediterranean area. In recent years the EFTA network of free trade agreements has reached across the Atlantic as well as into Asia.
EFTA was founded by the following seven countries: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Finland joined in 1961, Iceland in 1970, and Liechtenstein in 1991. In 1973, the UK and Denmark left EFTA to join the EC. They were followed by Portugal in 1986 and by Austria,
Bibliography: 50 Years of EFTA http://www.efta.int/about-efta/50th-anniversary.aspx http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Ent-Fac/European-Free-Trade-Association-EFTA.html European Free Trade Association http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Free_Trade_Association European Free Trade Association http://www.answers.com/topic/european-free-trade-association Official site http://www.efta.int ----------------------- [1] http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Ent-Fac/European-Free-Trade-Association-EFTA.html [2] 50 Years of EFTA http://www.efta.int/about-efta/50th-anniversary.aspx