EFTA, or the European Free Trade Association, is an international organization that was formed in 1960. It consists of four countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. EFTA is a free trade zone, which means that the member countries have lowered their trade barriers and tariffs in order to facilitate trade among themselves. There are several synonyms that can be used to describe EFTA, including free trade association, trading bloc, alliance, and economic partnership. Each of these terms highlights a different aspect of EFTA's mission and structure, but they all refer to the same organization that is dedicated to promoting free and open trade between its member countries.