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Norwegian Priorities as EFTA Council Chair

Last updated: 11/02/2013 // The Norwegian Chair bases its priorities for the first half of 2013 on the conclusions of the EFTA Council meeting at Ministerial level in Geneva 12 November 2012.

1. Internal EFTA affairs
• Continue to adapt the Vaduz Convention (EFTA Convention) and its annexes to changing needs
• Further develop Member States’ common basis for future free trade agreements

2. Third-country relations
Existing free trade agreements
• Albania, Peru, Singapore, Ukraine: Hold Joint Committee meetings
• Canada: Continue the preparation for and, if possible, start negotiations on an expansion of the free trade agreement

• Continue to work on the maintenance and development of EFTA’s free trade agreements, notably with Chile, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Peru and SACU
• Colombia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Work towards the entry into force of the respective free trade agreements for all parties

Ongoing free trade negotiations
• Central American States: Conclude the negotiations and sign the free trade agreement
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Finalise the negotiations and sign the free trade agreement
• India: Achieve further progress with a view to finalising the negotiations
• Customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan: Move forward substantially in the negotiation process
• Indonesia: Make substantive progress in the negotiations
• Vietnam: Continue negotiations with the aim of making significant headway
• Malaysia: Hold a first round of negotiations
• Thailand: Work towards the resumption of negotiations at the first suitable opportunity
• Algeria: Continue to monitor development and, if possible and appropriate, resume negotiations

New free trade agreements and potential partners
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Continue assessing the possibilities for closer trade relations with potential partners. Prepare and sign a joint declaration on cooperation with Nigeria
• Philippines: Pursue contact in view of examining the feasibility of a free trade agreement
• Mercosur: Further examine the possibilities of developing closer trade relations


3. Other activities
• Continue exchanging views on ongoing bilateral free trade negotiations by individual EFTA Member States
• Follow closely developments with regard to EFTA Member States’ bilateral relations with the European Union, including the application by Iceland to join the EU
• Follow developments with respect to international economic and trade negotiations
 


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