The Stockholm Convention was signed on 4 January 1960, and entered into force on 3 May of the same year. The present members of EFTA are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway. EFTA has signed free trade agreements with 27 partners.
The event will be celebrated at a reception in Geneva on 3rd May 2010 and in many of EFTAs partner countries. The chairmanship of the EFTA Council is presently held by Iceland.
H.E. Mr Bozkurt Aran, Ambassador of Turkey, EFTAs first free trade partner will address the reception, as will Chargé d’affaires John Clarke from the Mission of the European Union, and Permanent Secretary of State of the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Einar Gunnarsson.
In connection with the 50th Anniversary of EFTA and the 15th anniversary of the EEA Agreement, which entered into force in 1994, EFTA organised a seminar in November 2009 in Geneva, entitled Partners in Progress. A book with material from the seminar will be presented at the reception. The book will also contain new essays on EFTA as well as articles from earlier EFTA publications that illuminate the history and functions of the association and its contribution to the post-war economic and political integration of Europe.
For more information on EFTA – go to
www.efta.int