European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

Britain and Europe
1. History
1.1 Introduction 1.2 Research criteria
2. Major events
2.1 European Free Trade Association 2.2 Applications for EEC membership 2.2.1 First application (1961) 2.2.2 Second application (1967) 2.2.3 Entry to the EEC (1973) 2.2.4 Referendum (1975) 2.3 European projects/policies 2.3.1 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2.3.2 Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) 2.3.3 Single European Act (1986) 2.3.4 Maastricht Treary (1992)
3. Latest Developments
Latest Developments
4. Help
Abbreviations
5. Bibliography
Useful literature on Britain and Europe
Future projects
Crises Bosnia (1999) War on Terror after 9/11 Afghanistan (2001) Iraq II (2003)
Contact
John Alistair Kühne

The European Free Trade Association is an inter-governmental organisation established in 1960. Its member states today are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. EFTA was founded by Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland. Iceland joined in 1970, followed by Finnland (1986) and Liechtenstein (1991).

The EFTA was established as a counterpart to the newly developing EEC, in order to follow other aims. The participating countries were only interested in economic co-operation and not in political merging, or an European 'Super-State'.

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Useful links:

• Official website of the EFTA
  
• Short overview by Germany's government on the EFTA