• The EFTA is founed by Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
  • Finland becomes an associate member of the EFTA. The EFTA Consultatitive Committee is established to help represent trade unions and employers' organizations.
  • Iceland becomes a member of EFTA.
  • Denmark and the United Kingdom leave EFTA to join the European Economic Community (EEC). The remaining EFTA members sign bilateral free trade agreements with the EEC during the 1970's.
  • The EFTA Parliamentary Committee is established and tariffs on industrial goods in trade are eliminated between the EEC and EFTA states.
  • EFTA's first free trade agreement is signed with Spain.
  • The Luxembourg Declaration on broader cooperation between EFTA and EEC is signed.
  • Portugal leaves EFTA to become a member of the EEC.
  • Finland becomes a full-fledged member of the EFTA.
  • Liechtenstein becomes a member of EFTA.
  • The Agreement on the European Economic Area is signed in Oporto, Portugal. Switzerland rejects participation in the EEA by referendum.
  • The EEA Agreement enters into force between the EU and five EFTA States.
  • Austria, Finland and Sweden leave EFTA to join the EU. Liechtenstein becomes a full participant in the EEA Agreement together with Iceland and Norway.
  • The updated EFTA Convention is signed in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, entering into force a year later.
  • An agreement on EEA enlargement is signed as ten Central and Southern European countries join the EU.
  • EU and EEA enlargement enter into effect simultaneously.
  • An agreement on EEA enlargement is signed as Bulgaria and Romania join the EU.
  • Iceland applies for EU membership. FTAs are signed with Albania, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Serbia. 
  • Iceland begins accessions negotiations with the EU. The EEA EFTA Forum of Elected Representatives of Local and Regional Authorities is established. FTAs are signed with Peru and Ukraine.
  • FTAs are signed with Hong Kong China and Montenegro.
  • FTAs are signed with Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Costa Rica Panama.

Sources

EFTA throughout the years