Complementary roles in economic cooperation
EFTA has always maintained good working relations with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), established in 1961 as the successor to the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC). The relationship between EFTA and the OECD has been complementary from the outset. While EFTA focuses on regional integration and preferential trade agreements, the OECD offers a broader platform for sharing experiences and developing best practices across policy areas that directly affect trade, investment and competitiveness.
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Meeting of the OECD Economic Policy Committee, Paris, 27–28 February 1963. HAEU, EFTA-352.
Meeting of the OECD Economic Policy Committee, Paris, 27–28 February 1963. HAEU, EFTA-352.
Meeting of the OECD Economic Policy Committee, Paris, 27–28 February 1963. HAEU, EFTA-352.
Meeting of the OECD Economic Policy Committee, Paris, 27–28 February 1963. HAEU, EFTA-352.
Coordination and dialogue in practice
Cooperation between EFTA and the OECD has taken different forms over the years. Already in the 1960s, the EFTA Secretariat was represented regularly at OECD Council Ministerial Meetings, attended various committees such as the Trade Committee as an observer, and established working arrangements in areas like statistics. The first inter-Secretariat meeting took place in 1969, marking the start of a more structured relationship. EFTA’s participation as an observer in the OECD’s annual economic review of the EFTA States also helped to avoid duplication of work.
During the late 1970s and 1980s, EFTA strengthened this cooperation by providing its Member States with a platform for internal coordination before OECD meetings. Exchanges took place in the EFTA Committee of Trade Experts, the EFTA Economic Committee, and other forums where delegations shared draft statements and sought common positions. In some cases, such as the 1988 OECD Ministerial Meeting, the EFTA Council Chair delivered a joint statement on behalf of all EFTA States.
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Letter from J. Lanner to Mr. Valquist, ‘Relations between the OECD and the Economic Affairs Area,’ Internal Memorandum, ED 37/78, 24-0-01, 20 September 1978, HAEU, EFTA-688
Letter from Per Kleppe to Hans Colliander, Kle 493/83, 3 January 1984, HAEU, EFTA-688
OECD/EFTA activities. HAEU, EFTA-1087
Letter about the Secretary's General's Meeting with Ambassadors of the EFTA countries to the EFTA countries to the OECD on 15 February 1984. HAEU, EFTA-688
OECD/EFTA activities. HAEU, EFTA-1087
OECD/EFTA activities. HAEU, EFTA-1087
OECD/EFTA activities. HAEU, EFTA-1087
OECD/EFTA activities. HAEU, EFTA-1087
Shared standards and policy alignment
The revision of the EFTA Convention in the late 1990s, which led to the Vaduz Convention, further demonstrated the complementary relationship between EFTA and the OECD, as many of the new provisions mirrored OECD standards.
The long-standing relationship between EFTA and the OECD highlights how regional and multilateral approaches can complement each other. By maintaining close dialogue and aligning policy objectives, the EFTA States ensure that their trade and economic frameworks remain anchored in globally recognised best practices.
Relations with third countries
Partnerships beyond EFTA and the first free trade agreement (1967-1979)
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