The EEA EFTA States | European Free Trade Association (2024)

FAQs

What are the EFTA EEA states? ›

The European Economic Area (EEA) unites the EU Member States and the three EEA EFTA States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) into an Internal Market governed by the same basic rules.

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is the intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It was set up in 1960 by its then seven Member States for the promotion of free trade and economic integration between its members.

The Agreement on the European Economic Area, which entered into force on 1 January 1994, brings together the EU Member States and the three EEA EFTA States — Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway — in a single market, referred to as the "Internal Market".

The free trade agreement (FTA) between Canada and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland is a goods-only agreement with an emphasis on tariff elimination.

The main purpose of EFTA is to negotiate and enforce trade tariffs between its member states. The main purpose of EFTA is to promote free trade and economic integration amongst its member countries, which are currently Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

There were 7 founding countries: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK). They were joined in 1970 by Iceland, in 1986 by Finland and in 1991 by Liechtenstein.

The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU 's single market. Switzerland is not an EU or EEA member but is part of the single market. This means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.

EEA citizen and “EEA national” means a person who is a national of: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, ...

There are 27 countries in the European Union (EU). All of these countries are also in the European Economic Area (EEA). Four countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and the UK) are in the EEA but not in the EU.

Why is Switzerland not in the EU? ›

A Swiss referendum held on 6 December 1992 rejected EEA membership. As a consequence, the Swiss Government suspended negotiations for EU accession until further notice.

The Stockholm Convention (1960), to establish the EFTA, was signed on 4 January 1960 in the Swedish capital by seven countries (known as the "outer seven": Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom).

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an intergovernmental organisation set up for the promotion of free trade and economic integration to the benefit of its four Member States – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland – and the benefit of their trading partners around the globe.

EEA/EFTA citizens are from: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.

The United Kingdom (UK) ceased to be a Contracting Party to the EEA Agreement after its withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020. This follows from the two-pillar structure and Article 126 of the EEA Agreement, which states that the EEA Agreement applies to the territory of the EU and the three EEA EFTA States.