This includes the appointment of national coordinators at senior officials’ level and the establishment of inter-departmental working groups. Switzerland and the UK have concluded and signed several agreements in areas including trade, migration, air services, road transport, financial services and citizens´ rights. A UK membership would therefore mean better market access in the UK for these products than the current EFTA States have today. The UK would require the consent of the other EFTA states to join. The United Kingdom (UK) ceased to be a Contracting Party to the EEA Agreement after its withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020. EFTA states are not part of the EU Customs Union as outlined above. Writing by Alister Doyle; editing by John Stonestreet. These agreements will be in place until a new FTA is negotiated and enters into force. This includes, for example, provisions on the free movement of persons between all of the EFTA States. This proposal is not only ill-informed, it … According to Article 56 of the EFTA Convention, “any State may accede to the Convention provided that the EFTA Council decides to approve its accession, on such terms and conditions as may be set out in that decision.”. In addition to provisions on citizen rights, the Separation Agreement covers other separation issues – such as goods placed on the market before the end of the transition period, IPR, ongoing police and judicial cooperation, judicial procedures, data protection, and public procurement - and institutional provisions. There is particularly close collaboration among the three EEA EFTA States at all levels, both in the regular meetings of official bodies such as the Standing Committee, and more frequently in dedicated ad hoc settings, also at ministerial level. What is EFTA doing to prepare for a future trade relationship with the United Kingdom? The suggestion that the UK could join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) or European Economic Area (EEA) for a transition period, or perhaps for good, is once again doing the rounds in Westminster. Migration –The EFTA Convention guarantees the free movement of people between the Member States. Switzerland set up several dialogues with the UK: (1) a so-called Continuity Dialogue which deals with horizontal issues and oversees progress in each area, and (2) Specific Dialogues in areas currently covered by the Swiss/EU agreements. What does the EFTA Convention say about new member states? It follows from Article 129 of the Withdrawal Agreement that, during the transition period, the UK shall be bound by the obligations stemming from the international agreements concluded by the EU, including the EEA Agreement. Nevertheless, during the transition period the UK will continue to be treated as an EEA State (see below). Its objective is to extend the Internal Market of the EU to the three participating EFTA States creating a homogeneous European Economic Area. Britain exported food and drink worth 18 billion pounds ($24 billion) in 2015 while Norway imposes high import barriers to protect farmers in a country that stretches into the Arctic. The EEA Agreement guarantees equal rights and obligations within the Internal Market for individuals and economic operators in the EEA. Discussions with the UK on the implications of its withdrawal from the EU for EEA EFTA-UK relations were launched in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum. The United Kingdom (UK) ceased to be a Contracting Party to the EEA Agreement after its withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020. The EFTA Secretariat is not involved in the management of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU. Apart from the various dialogues and negotiations, there has also been considerable interest from the UK for information about EFTA and the EEA. There is an ongoing close dialogue between the EEA EFTA States and the EU within the EEA Council and the EEA Joint Committee concerning the implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU for the EEA Agreement. Since 1994, the EFTA Secretariat has assisted Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway in the management of the EEA Agreement. Agriculture – When it comes to agriculture, the EFTA Convention has specific commitments for market access in agriculture for each Member State. As the largest EFTA country (about 60% of EFTA GDP), EFTA membership offered little compensation to UK exporters for the loss of access to traditional markets now inside the EEC. Second, the EEA EFTA States contribute towards the EU programmes and agencies that they participate in on the basis of the EEA Agreement. Switzerland is outside that deal. Each EFTA State has one vote at the EFTA Council and their unanimous consent would be required for the UK to re-join EFTA. But that benefit of more clout also means Britain might demand conditions that would mainly help it - rather than its putative EFTA partners - when negotiating trade deals. We have to set that out at the time because there are still some uncertainties, many uncertainties, around the Brexit process." It does not entail a customs union, nor does it include a common trade policy, common foreign and security policy, justice and home affairs, harmonised taxation or the economic and monetary union. On whether this would initially require Scotland to join EFTA, she said, "It may be by necessity but we don't want that. Information about the EFTA Member States: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The four EFTA States are competitive in several sectors vital to the global economy and score among the highest in the world in competitiveness, wealth creation per inhabitant, life expectancy and quality of life. They all apply the provisions of the relevant Acquis. 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. It’s a big country with a big economy,” Solberg said. Portugal also left EFTA for the European Community in 1986. Solberg cited farming as one example of a possible conflict of interest. We go ahead, join EFTA and the EEA. While membership of EFTA would grant Britain access to dozens of free trade agreements EFTA has already concluded with countries around the world it would not, … If an independent Scotland decided to join EFTA, it would have to apply for accession to the EFTA Council which is composed of the heads of the permanent delegations to EFTA. EFTA’s first objective was to liberalise trade between its Member States. There are significant reasons why the UK is unlikely to join EFTA. Brexit lifeline BOMBSHELL: Norway says UK CAN join the EFTA if EU trade becomes impossible BRITAIN could still join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as a stop-gap measure if … “Drop in EU regulations applicable to UK, as of January 2011 100,000+ EU instructions applied to the UK. The EFTA States are engaged in numerous processes with the aim to maintain trade relations with the UK as close possible. For the current 2014-2020 EU multiannual budget period, the total EEA EFTA contribution to EU programmes and agencies is approximately EUR 460 million per year. EFTA4UK campaigns for the UK to rejoin the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Overall, Solberg’s comments were less skeptical about British membership than shortly after Britain’s vote, when she stressed that it would “change the balance of power in EFTA”. The worst case scenario is that we leave the EU as part of the UK, join EFTA as a holding position and then negotiate EU membership from there. “Some countries will probably think it’s fine to have a free trade deal with us (EFTA), but won’t necessarily think that it’s equally simple to have a free trade deal with Britain,” she said. To join the EFTA, the UK will need to gain the approval of current members, i.e. Accession Treaties for EFTA and EEA cannot be signed before Brexit. Although the UK government has to date simply refused, the ... Scotland might find it preferable to join EFTA, initially at least. ARENDAL, Norway (Reuters) - Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said she saw some advantages if Britain joined the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) after quitting the EU, qualifying past doubts about British membership. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. According to Article 128 of the EEA Agreement, “any European State becoming a member of the Community shall, and the Swiss Confederation or any European State becoming a member of EFTA may, apply to become a party to this Agreement. What is the transition period and what does it mean for the UK’s relations with the EEA EFTA States? Sam Lowe, senior research fellow … Alongside being members of EFTA, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein also have free movement of goods, services and people with the 28-nation EU. 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