Many Western countries are eager to expand trade with India and China, but countries increasingly are finding it simpler to pursue bilateral free trade agreements than dealing directly with the onerous and often bureaucratic WTO.
Officially, countries such as Norway are supposed to follow the WTO track, in addition to free trade agreements under the EFTA. With the WTO’s Doha round of negotiations at a seemingly endless standstill, bilateral agreements through the EFTA make more sense than ever.
The EFTA is a trade organization consisting of several smaller European countries with disproportionately important economic roles.
