Each negotiation process is different, but they all share some similarities. EFTA has developed a set of model texts corresponding to the chapters that it would like to see included in an FTA. These model texts continue to evolve over the years. Today, the text package includes chapters on digital trade, general and institutional provisions, government procurement, intellectual property rights, small and medium-sized enterprises, technical cooperation, trade in goods, trade facilitation, trade and sustainable development, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, and trade in services.
EFTA presents a prospective FTA partner country with its model texts, and then the partner can revert with its additions and modifications. The closer the parties are at the initial stages of negotiations, the faster the process will be. If there are stark differences, negotiations can span many years, with experts and politicians trying to find common ground. If they succeed in doing so, the agreement will be subject to a thorough legal review to ensure its validity and consistency. Subsequently, all participating parties must sign and then ratify the FTA before it enters into force.
