# Denmark joins EFTA (4 January 1960)

URL: https://allhistories.com/denmark/timeline/1960-denmark-joins-efta
Themes: Key Events

When the six founding states of the European Economic Community moved ahead without Britain, Denmark faced a dilemma: its main agricultural markets were Britain and West Germany, which were now in rival blocs. Denmark chose to follow Britain and on 4 January 1960 signed the Stockholm Convention founding the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with Austria, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. EFTA removed tariffs on industrial goods among its members but largely excluded agriculture, which limited its benefits for Danish farmers. It did, however, stimulate the rapid growth of Danish manufacturing exports in the 1960s. Denmark applied to join the EEC alongside Britain in 1961 and 1967, but both attempts were blocked by French vetoes.

## Why it matters
EFTA membership shaped Denmark's European policy until it followed Britain into the EEC in 1973.

Ruler at the Time: [Frederick IX](https://allhistories.com/denmark/rulers/frederick-ix)

Prime Minister: H. C. Hansen (Social Democrats)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — European Free Trade Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Free_Trade_Association)
- [Wikipedia — European Economic Community](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Community)
- [Wikipedia — Economy of Denmark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Denmark)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — European Free Trade Association](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=European+Free+Trade+Association)