On 13 January 1971, German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung welcomes the prospect of a tariff agreement between the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) leading to closer economic relations between the 16 European countries.

On 16 June 1971, the European Commission submits to the Council its opinion on the enlarged Community's relations with the Member States and associate Members of EFTA which are not candidates for accession.

In August 1971, in anticipation of the likely accession of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and Norway to the European Communities, German weekly publication Der Spiegel describes the difficulties encountered redefining the links between the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

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 in Brussels.

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 22 July 1972, the Austrian cinema newsreel reports on the signing, the same day at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, of the free trade agreements between Austria and the European Economic Community (EEC) by Bruno Kreisky, Austrian Federal Chancellor, and Josef Staribacher, Austrian Trade Minister.

‘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 23 July 1972, the tariffs agreement signed in Brussels by the countries of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) puts an end to the 'Forest of signs in Europe' with a view to facilitating trade links between the 16 European countries.

On 13 November 1972, at a conference on Europe held at the Palais Pálffy in Vienna, Edmund P. Wellenstein, Head of the European Commission Delegation for the negotiations on the enlargement of the European Communities, outlines the nature of the specific difficulties arising for Austria in connection with the redefining of relations between the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

On 13 November 1972, at a conference on Europe held at the Palais Pálffy in Vienna, Edmund P. Wellenstein, head of the European Commission delegation for negotiations on the enlargement of the European Communities, outlines the reasons that led the European Economic Community (EEC) to redefine its relations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) following the first enlargement of the EEC.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Head of the European Commission delegation for negotiations on enlargement of the European Communities from 1970 to 1973 and responsible for the free-trade agreements with the other countries in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), describes the main issues and proceedings of the negotiations with Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Iceland.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Head of the European Commission delegation for negotiations on enlargement of the European Communities from 1970 to 1973 and responsible for the free-trade agreements with the other countries in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), explains the specific difficulties involved in the negotiations with Finland, particularly referring to the nature of its relations with the Soviet Union.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Head of the European Commission delegation for negotiations on enlargement of the European Communities from 1970 to 1973 and responsible for the free-trade agreements with the other countries in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), explains the specific difficulties associated with the negotiations with Iceland, particularly raising the question of the definition of fisheries areas.

In this interview, Edmund Wellenstein, Head of the European Commission delegation for negotiations on enlargement of the European Communities from 1970 to 1973, recalls the ceremony held for the signing of the Treaties of Accession to the European Communities of Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom on 22 January 1972 at the Egmont Palace in Brussels.