1 E-5 s

The European Free Trade Association ( EFTA , in English European Free Trade Association - EFTA ) is an association aiming at establishing a free exchange zone in Europe.

Current members

In addition to the 3 States which are members only of EEE (all except Switzerland), are also regarded as signatories of the agreement the European Community and the 27 Member States of the European Union:

The European Economic space - constituted in 1994 - extended attributions of EFTA (which should have disappeared, while being based in the EEE) to all the Member States of EFTA and the EU.

History

On the initiative of the United Kingdom, the convention of Stockholm, signed by the ministers British, Norwegian, Danish, Switzerland, Portuguese, Swedish and Austrian, in 1960, gave rise to the European Free Trade Association. It aimed to create a free exchange zone for the countries of Europe non-member of the European Economic community (the EEC) and to counterbalance this one by gathering the States country which do not wish to enter the EEC. The goal was to create only one free exchange zone in order to facilitate the exchanges whereas the EEC was based on a Customs union and a Common Market. However, by the installation of EFTA, the United Kingdom especially hoped to be able to establish a great free exchange zone with the EEC. Vis-a-vis the failure of such a project, the United Kingdom will end up presenting its candidature for the EEC in August 1961, which was refused by France.

Shortly after its creation in 1960, it is made up of 9 members:

Little by little, the members of EFTA joined the European Community:

Three countries of EFTA (the Iceland, the Liechtenstein and the Norway) and the European Union constituted the European Economic space in 1994. The Suisse was also recipient of the agreement but the Swiss people and cantons refused this adhesion by referendum on December 6th 1992 by 50,3% of the voices and 16 cantons out of 23. Switzerland then sought to regulate its relationship with the EU by bilateral treaties.

Nowadays, the remaining members of EFTA are not candidates with adhesion with the European Union, quite conscious that on this assumption they would be contributors Nets.

Institutions

The Council of EFTA

The Council is composed of the representatives of the Member States of association.

The Secretariat of EFTA

The Secretariat has buildings in Geneva, Brussels and Luxembourg.

In his buildings in Geneva, the Secretariat of EFTA is with the service of the Council of EFTA and his subsidiary body in charge of the application of the convention of EFTA and the trade agreements concluded with other countries.

In Brussels, the Secretariat of EFTA is with the service of the committee permenent of EFTA and his subsidiary body - the common Committee of European Economic space (EEE) and the Council of the EEE) for the implementation of the agreement on the European Economic space which extends the Interior market of the European Community to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

In Luxembourg, the Secretariat is in load of the co-operation in the field of the statistics, on the basis of of the agreement on the EEE, and the cooperation programs technique.

Lastly, the Secretariat of EFTA assists the parliamentary committees and advisory of EFTA in the continuation of their missions.

List general secretaries:

  • 1960 - 1965 Frank E. Figgures (RU)

  • 1965 - 1972 Sir John Coulson (RU)
  • 1972 - 1975 Bengt Rabaeus (Sweden)
  • 1976 - 1981 Charles Müller (Swiss)
  • 1981 - 1988 Per Kleppe (Norway)
  • 1988 - 1994 Georg Reisch (Austria)
  • 1994 - 2000 Kjartan Jóhannsson (Iceland)
  • 2000 - 2006 William Rose tree (Swiss)
  • 2006 - 20 Kåre Bryn (Norway)

Authority of Monitoring of EFTA

It takes care that the Iceland, the Liechtenstein and the Norway respect their obligations resulting from the agreement on European Economic space and that the companies comply with the rules of competition. The Authority can carry out surveys for infringement either of its own initiative, or on the basis of complaint.

Court of EFTA

The Court is made up of a judge by State of EFTA adhering to European Economic space and a clerk, person in charge of the administration of the Court and certain procedural documents.

She exerts a jurisdictional control on the implementation of the agreement which instituted European Economic space and she exerts her jurisdiction on the Member States of EFTA adhering to this agreement. The Court is primarily qualified for: - to examine the actions in infringement which are subjected to him by the Authority of monitoring of EFTA against the Member States of this one; - for the payment of different of a commercial nature between Member States of EFTA; - to examine in call the decisions taken by the Authority of Monitoring of EFTA; - to give advisory opinions to the jurisdictions of the Member States of EFTA as for the interpretation of the rules governing EFTA.

Free trade

EFTA also has agreements of Libre-échange with the Chile, the South Korea, the Croatia, Israel, the Jordan, the Lebanon, the Macedonia, the Morocco, the Mexico, the Palestinian Autorité, Singapore, the Tunisia and the Turkey.

The agreements which it had with the Estonia, the Hungary, the Latvia, the Lithuania, the Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovakia and the Slovenia became null and void on May 1st 2004 and on January 1st, 2007 for the Bulgaria and the Romania when they joined the European Union.

Negotiations are in hand for the concluding of agreements of free trade with the South Africa, the Canada, the Egypt and the Thailand.

Declarations of common co-operation were in addition signed with the Albania, the Algérie, the Colombia, the Cooperation Council of the Gulf, the Egypt, the Indonesia, the Mercosur, the Peru, the Serbia-and-Montenegro and the Ukraine.

Three countries of EFTA (the Iceland, the Liechtenstein and the Norway) and the European Community constituted the European Economic space in 1994. The Suisse is not recipient with this agreement but lays out of particular agreements with the European Community.

See too

  • Sovereignty and European construction

External bonds

  • Official site of EFTA
  • birth of EFTA European NAvigator

Cbk-zam: EFTA

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