Delegates from EFTA – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland – and Thailand convened in Oslo from June 13 to 16 2023 for the fifth round of negotiations towards a comprehensive free trade agreement.

Ambassador Markus Schlagenhof, Delegate of the Federal Council for Trade Agreements at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs acted as the EFTA spokesperson while Director General Auramon Supthaweetum from the Department of Trade Negotiations in the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand headed the Thai delegation.

The expert discussions covered a wide range of topics, including trade in goods, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), trade in services, investment, e-commerce, legal and horizontal issues, dispute settlement, government procurement, trade and sustainable development, cooperation and capacity building, and intellectual property rights.

Substantial progress was made over the course of the week, reflecting a shared commitment to reach a swift and successful conclusion to the negotiations.

EFTA will release a detailed report on the outcomes of the fifth round of negotiations in the coming days, providing further insights into the advancements made in this productive exchange.

Economic relations between the EFTA States and Thailand

In 2022, bilateral EFTA–Thailand merchandise trade exceeded USD 3.5 billion. Clocks and watches, fish and crustaceans, and pharmaceutical products were the primary exports from EFTA to Thailand, while electronic machinery, clocks and watch parts, and iron structures were the primary imports from Thailand.

Read more about merchandise trade between EFTA and Thailand here.

Source: EFTA