The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was established by a Convention signed in Stockholm on 4 January 1960.
A revised Convention, the Vaduz Convention, was signed on 21 June 2001 and entered into force on 1 June 2002. The EFTA Convention is amended by the EFTA Council when appropriate.
For further background information and an overview of the Convention, click here.
EFTA Convention
Annexes and Protocols
| Annex or Protocol | Title | Appendix | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annex A | Rules of Origin and administrative cooperation | Appendix A | Alternative Applicable Rules of Origin |
| Annex B | Customs Matters | ||
| Annex C | Agriculture (repealed by Council Decision No 2/2012) | ||
| Annex D | Tariff Concessions (repealed by Council Decision No 2/2012) | ||
| Annex E | Seeds | ||
| Annex F | Organic Agriculture | ||
| Annex G | Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures | ||
| Annex H | Provision of Information, Technical regulations and Information Society services | ||
| Annex I * | Mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment | ||
| Annex J | Intellectual Property Rights | ||
| Annex K | Movement of Persons | Appendix 1 | Free Movement of Persons |
| Appendix 2 | Coordination of Social Security Schemes | ||
| Appendix 3 | Mutual recognition of professional qualifications | ||
| Annex L | Reservations by Iceland | ||
| Annex M | Reservations by Liechtenstein | ||
| Annex N | Reservations by Norway | ||
| Annex O | Reservations by Switzerland | ||
| Annex P | Land Transport | ||
| Annex Q | Air Transport | ||
| Annex R | Public Procurement | ||
| Annex S | Council Bodies | ||
| Annex T | Arbitration | ||
| Annex U | Territorial Applications | ||
| Annex V | Basic Agricultural Products | ||
| Annex W | Processed Agricultural Products | ||
| Annex X | Agricultural Products above HS chapter 24 (Article 8) | ||
| Protocol | Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and Liechtenstein | ||
| Final Act |
*Please be advised that Article 3 (1) of Annex I and footnote N°3 refer to the latest Decision of the Joint Committee established under the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation on mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment (EU-CH MRA), whereby a new product sector was included in the scope of the EU-CH MRA, thereby extending the scope of Annex I. Decisions of the Joint Committee which merely update the legal references to new legislation for product sectors which are already part of the EU-CH MRA agreement, will not be reflected. A consolidated English version of the EU-CH MRA is available here, with more information under www.seco.admin.ch/mra-ch-eu. For more information on EEA legislation in force, please see here.
Joint Declarations
- Joint Declaration on The Review of the Changes to the Origin Rules as a Result of the Amendments to the Harmonized System
- Joint Declaration on Development of law
- Joint Declaration on Competition
- Joint Declaration on Mutual Recognition of Conformity Assessments
- Joint Declaration on Mutual Recognition in Relation to Conformity Assessment
- Joint Declaration on Mutual Recognition of Good Clinical Practice and Inspections Relating thereto
- Joint Declaration on Quotas for Vehicles
- Joint Declaration on Investment Protection in Relation to Third States
- Joint Declaration on Unemployment Benefits
- Joint Declaration on Agriculture
Complete list of amendments
| Decision | Amending | Adopted | Entry into force |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | |||
| No. 6/2020 | Annex A - Rules of Origin and administrative cooperation | 08.12.2020 | 01.11.2021 |
| 2019 | |||
| No. 2/2019 | EFTA Convention, Articles 5 and 53 | 14.05.2019 | 01.11.2021 |
| 2017 | |||
| No. 2/2017 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 09.11.2017 | 09.11.2017 |
| No. 1/2017 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 08.02.2017 | 08.02.2017 |
| 2015 | |||
| No. 5/2015 | Appendix 2 to Annex K - Social Security | 12.11.2015 | 01.01.2016*** |
| No. 4/2015 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 12.11.2015 | 12.11.2015 |
| No. 3/2015 | Appendix to Annex P - Land Transport | 25.08.2015 | 25.08.2015 |
| No. 2/2015 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 17.06.2015 | 17.06.2015 |
| 2014 | |||
| No. 1/2014 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 02.10.2014 | 02.10.2014 |
| 2013 | |||
| No. 4/2013 | Table 3 of Annex V | 22.10.2013 | 01.04.2014 |
| No. 1/2013* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 04.12.2013 | 04.12.2013 |
| No. 2/2013 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 18.04.2013 | 18.04.2013 |
| No. 1/2013 | Appendix 3 to Annex K - Free Movement of Persons (Professional Qualifications) | 18.04.2013 | 18.04.2013** |
| 2012 | |||
| No. 3/2012* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 29.11.2012 | 29.11.2012 |
| No. 4/2012 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 06.11.2012 | 06.11.2012 |
| No. 2/2012* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 10.10.2012 | 10.10.2012 |
| No. 3/2012 | Annex E - Seeds | 02.07.2012 | 02.07.2012 |
| No. 2/2012 | Agriculture | 21.06.2012 | 01.07.2013 |
| No. 1/2012* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 23.04.2012 | 23.04.2012 |
| No. 1/2012 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 22.03.2012 | 22.03.2012 |
| 2011 | |||
| No. 7/2011 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 04.10.2011 | 04.10.2011 |
| No. 6/2011 | Appendix I to Annex P - Land Transport | 04.10.2011 | 04.10.2011 |
| No. 4/2011 | Annexes A and C - Rules of Origin/Agriculture | 07.06.2011 | 07.06.2011 |
| No. 1/2011* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 31.03.2011 | 31.03.2011 |
| 2010 | |||
| No. 3/2010 | Appendix 1 to Annex P - Land Transport | 20.09.2010 | 20.09.2010 |
| No. 2/2010 | Annex S - Council Bodies | 17.05.2010 | 01.06.2010 |
| No. 1/2010 | Annex S - Council Bodies: Establishment of Committee on Trade Facilitation | 17.05.2010 | 01.06.2010 |
| 2009 | |||
| No. 4/2009 | Annex Q - Air Transport | 19.11.2009 | 19.11.2009 |
| No. 2/2009 | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 16.06.2009 | 01.09.2010 |
| 2008 | |||
| No. 1/2008 | Annex D - Tariff concessions on agricultural products | 16.04.2008 | 01.08.2008 |
| 2007 | |||
| No. 5/2007 | Annex Q - Air Transport | 13.12.2007 | 13.12.2007 |
| No. 4/2007 | Annex K - Free Movement of Persons (Social Security) | 27.11.2007 | 01.01.2008 |
| No. 2/2007 | Appendix 3 to Annex K - Free Movement of Persons (Professional Qualifications) | 19.04.2007 | 01.05.2007 (IS,NO,CH) 01.03.2012 (LIE) |
| 2006 | |||
| No. 1/2006 | Annex Q - Air Transport | 03.02.2006 | 03.02.2006 |
| 2005 | |||
| No. 2/2005 | Annex A - Rules of Origin | 25.07.2005 | 01.08.2005 |
| 2004 | |||
| No. 3/2004 | Annex Q - Air Transport | 05.11.2004 | 05.11.2004 |
| No. 2/2004 | Appendix 2 to Annex K - Social Security | 13.07.2004 | 13.07.2004 |
| 2002 | |||
| No. 20/2002 | Appendix II to Annex A - Rules of Origin | 09.12.2002 | 09.12.2002 |
| No. 4/2002 | Annex A - Rules of Origin | 03.06.2002 | 01.06.2002 |
*Decision by the Committee on Mutual Recognition in relation to Conformity Assessment established under Annex I to the Convention.
**Title II of Directive 2005/36/EC entered into force on 2 September 2013.
***In relation to Liechtenstein, the amendments shall enter into force on the first day of the month following its notification to the Depositary that its internal procedures have been concluded, but at the earliest on 1 January 2016.
Recent amendments to the Convention that have entered into force
| Decision | Amending | Adopted | Entry into Force |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6/2020 | Annex A - Rules of Origin and administrative cooperation | 08.12.2020 | 01.11.2021 |
| No. 2/2019 | EFTA Convention, Articles 5 and 53 | 14.05.2019 | 01.11.2021 |
| No. 2/2017 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 09.11.2017 | 09.11.2017 |
| Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 08.02.2017 | 08.02.2017 | |
| Appendix 2 to Annex K - Social Security | 12.11.2015 | 01.01.2016 | |
| Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 12.11.2015 | 12.11.2015 | |
| Appendix to Annex P - Land Transport | 25.08.2015 | 25.08.2015 | |
| Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 17.06.2015 | 17.06.2015 | |
| No. 1/2014 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 02.10.2014 | 02.10.2014 |
| No. 4/2013 | Table 3 of Annex V | 22.10.2013 | 01.04.2014 |
| No. 1/2013* | Annex I - Mutual Recognition | 04.12.2013 | 04.12.2013 |
| No. 2/2012 | Provisions on Agriculture | 21.06.2012 | 01.07.2013 |
| No. 2/2013 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 18.04.2013 | 18.04.2013 |
*Decision by the Committee on Mutual Recognition in relation to Conformity Assessment established under Annex I to the Convention.
Amendments to the Convention that have not entered into force
| Decision | Amending | Adopted |
|---|---|---|
| No. 3/2013 | Appendix to Annex Q - Air Transport | 18.04.2013 |
| No. 4/2010 | Amendments to Annex D - List of tariff concessions on agricultural products | 16.11.2010, repealed by Council Decision 2/2012 |
| No. 1/2007 | Annex P - Land Transport | 08.03.2007 |