On 21 July 1959, Ministers from Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, meeting in Saltsjöbaden, Sweden, approve the establishment of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and announce that negotiations will continue with a view to the establishment of a Nordic Common Market.
On 26 February 1959, the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community (EEC) notes the problems encountered in Oslo by the Governments of Austria, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom with regard to the establishment of a free-trade area.
‘Destinies linked by baptism'. The tariffs agreement signed in Brussels on 22 July 1972 by the Member States of the European Economic Community (EEC) and of EFTA (Austria, Iceland, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland), signal closer relations between the two economic blocs.
On 22 July 1972, the six Member States of the European Economic Community (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands), the four candidate countries(Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom) and the six member countries of EFTA which are not candidates for accession to the European Communities (Austria, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland) sign tariff and trade agreements at the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels.
On 3 January 1995, the British left-wing newspaper The Guardian analyses the political and economic implications for Austria after its accession to the European Union.
On 24 June 1994, at the Corfu European Council, Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, welcomes the signing by Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union.
