Studer speaks about the The Outer Seven of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a group consisting of Portugal, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, as well as Liechtenstein as a full member and Finland as an associate member. He says the organization was formed in 1960 to facilitate negotiations with the European Economic Community (EEC) and generally promote world and free trade. He believes, negotiations with the EEC for membership or association have been unsuccessful. He says that although agricultural protectionism and other issues remain as barriers, European integration is still a hoped for goal.