Switzerland would welcome Britain, its sixth biggest trading partner, back into the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) when it leaves the European Union, Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann said on Monday. “It told my colleagues if the UK approaches EFTA to explore the possibility of joining EFTA, Switzerland would be open to discussions," Schneider-Ammann told reporters in Geneva following an EFTA ministerial meeting. The Swiss president said another solution would be a free trade agreement between Britain and EFTA, the small club of nations - Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland - that has access to the European single market without being part of the EU. Or failing that a country-to-country deal could be possible, he added. "Switzerland wants to avoid a legal void when the UK leaves the EU," he said. "Therefore all options are open." Schneider reminded that Britain had not filed any candidacy with EFTA so far. Britain was a co-founder of ...
