On 19 November, the Swiss delegation to the EFTA Parliamentary Committee will attend the ministerial meeting of the European Economic Area (EEA) in Brussels. On 20 November, the delegation will then meet with the chair of the EFTA Council. The focus at both meetings will be on the current challenges facing the multilateral trade system, the promotion of sustainable development in trade relations with third countries, and the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU).

​The EFTA Parliamentary Committee usually meets twice a year. At its meeting in Brussels in November members of parliament from the EFTA states will meet with representatives from the European Parliament, the European Commission and think-tanks to discuss the latest trade policy developments, the EU’s trade policy prospects and the UK’s departure from the EU.

The meeting with the chair of the EFTA Council, Norway’s trade and industry minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, will be dedicated to the topics of EFTA’s free trade policy with regard to third countries, and the revision of the EFTA model provisions on «trade and sustainable development».

The Swiss delegation will also observe the meeting of the EFTA Parliamentary Committee (MPS) with the EEA Council. The Council meets twice a year at ministerial level and provides the necessary political impetus to further develop the EEA Agreement. The EEA/EFTA states are represented in the EEA Council by their respective foreign ministers.

The Swiss Parliament’s EFTA/EU delegation for this visit to Brussels will be composed of its president, National Council member Hans-Peter Portmann (FDP, ZH), its vice president, National Council member Eric Nussbaumer (SP, BL), Council of States member Konrad Graber (CVP, LU) and National Council member Kathy Riklin (CVP, ZH).