Membership History
The founding members of EFTA were Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. During the 1960s these countries were often referred to as the Outer Seven, as opposed to the Inner Six of the then-European Economic Community (EEC).
Finland became an associate member in 1961 (becoming a full member in 1986) and Iceland joined in 1970. The United Kingdom and Denmark joined the EEC in 1973 (together with Ireland), and hence ceased to be EFTA members. Portugal also left EFTA for the European Community in 1986. (Spain, never an EFTA member, joined the European Community in the same year.) Liechtenstein joined in 1991 (previously its interests in EFTA had been represented by Switzerland). Finally, Austria, Sweden and Finland joined the EU in 1995 and thus ceased to be EFTA members.
Twice (in 1973 and in 1995), Norway has tried to join the EU (still the EEC in 1973), and by doing so, leave the EFTA. Both times however, membership of the EU was rejected in national referenda, so keeping Norway in the EFTA. Furthermore, Iceland currently is a candidate for EU membership, and is in negotiations. If they were to complete negotiations and all countries ratified the accession treaty, they would leave the EFTA and join the EU.
Read more about this topic: European Free Trade Association
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