Financial Times (13/03/2019) -  Wolfgang Münchau, in “Norway shows the UK a better way to Brexit” (March 11), makes a reference to members of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) not being able to strike meaningful third-country agreements, and that membership of Efta and the European Economic Area prevents a country from conducting third-party trade agreements.

Currently the four Efta Countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) have jointly concluded 29 free trade agreements that cover 40 countries and territories outside the EU. The secretariat of the European Free Trade Association (as opposed to the reference to a European Free Trade Agreement) supports Efta member states when they exercise their foreign trade competences.

Read more at https://www.ft.com/content/10c282da-4419-11e9-b168-96a37d002cd3