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Founding members of EFTA

Seven countries founded the European Free Trade Association in 1960: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The full list

Left for the European Communities in 1973 2

Left EFTA at the end of 1972 and joined the European Communities on 1 January 1973.

• 🇩🇰Denmark
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom

Left later for the EEC or EU 3

Portugal left to join the EEC in 1986; Austria and Sweden left to join the EU in 1995.

• 🇵🇹Portugal
• 🇦🇹Austria
• 🇸🇪Sweden

Still in EFTA 2

The two founders still in EFTA, alongside the later joiners Iceland and Liechtenstein; neither has joined the EU.

• 🇳🇴Norway
• 🇨🇭Switzerland

Not on the list

• Iceland: Joined EFTA in 1970.
• Liechtenstein: Joined EFTA in 1991.
• Finland: Associate member from 1961, full member from 1986, left to join the EU in 1995.

Questions

How many countries founded EFTA?

Seven countries founded the European Free Trade Association in 1960: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Which countries are on the list?

Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

What is an easy way to remember them?

Five left to join the EEC or the EU; only Norway and Switzerland are still in.

More lists

Each name checked against at least two sources, one of them EFTA, on 1 October 2026. Next review by 1 October 2028.
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