European Free Trade Association makes trade deal with Vietnam–What will happen to the EFTA nations?

EFTA logo via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The European Free Trade Association made a deal with Vietnam:

EFTA, Vietnam sign comprehensive free trade agreement in Hanoi

19 October 2026

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Vietnam signed a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) in Hanoi yesterday, covering trade in goods, services, rules of origin and several other areas relevant to cross-border sourcing and supply chains.

The agreement aims to strengthen trade relations between the EFTA States and Vietnam by eliminating or reducing customs duties, facilitating trade and promoting sustainable development. Its coverage includes sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, investment, intellectual property rights, trade remedies, government procurement, trade and sustainable development, small and medium-sized enterprises, and cooperation and capacity building. https://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/efta-vietnam-sign-comprehensive-free-trade-agreement-in-hanoi-314353-newsdetails.htm

This deal came on the heel of steps made by the European Union to make a trade deal with the ASEAN block of nations last week, which includes Vietnam (see ASEAN block wants more regional trade–Russia wants more ties–the EU finalizing trade deals with ASEAN nations).

Part of the motivation is due to US President Donald Trump’s Administration’s tariffs and threats.

The US has been losing influence in Asia as the influence of China, Russia, and the EU has been rising. Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats have not helped. There are many unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s policies and statements. Here is something from my January 16, 2025 book Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Donald Trump’s tariff and other economic policies are getting the Gentile nations of Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia to look to trade more with each other. An unintended consequence of his rhetoric and policies is that they are encouraging the end-time rise of the final time of the Gentiles.

That is clearly happening.

Last year, in my list of 26 items to prophetically watch in 2026, I predicted:

Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. In the next several years, deals and more trade will occur with Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. …

Europe will get more serious about trade deals with others internationally, such as being more motivated to approve the trade deal with the Mercosur block of South America.

That said, in 2026 Europe will work on getting more of the world to accept its standards and trading matters. This will help Europe ultimately dominate trade.

For a time, Babylon will dominate world trade:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 18:2-3).

While ‘Babylon’ will not fully reign in 2026, with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

Expect Europe to reach out to various Gentile nations in Asia, Africa, South America, and elsewhere to make trade deals.

The final time of the Gentiles is approaching. We are seeing BRICS, the Global South, the EU, and others working on ways to trade and not have to deal with the descendants of Ephraim (UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and Manasseh (the USA).

The Europeans will work with many nations to secure stronger trade agreements.

This is also happening. The USA has been wishing to change trade deals. And the ASEAN nations are leaning more towards the Europe.

Now what about the European Free Trade Association?

Here is some information about it:

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organisation and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.^[6] The organisation operates in parallel with the European Union (EU), and all four member states participate in the European single market and are part of the Schengen Area.^[7] They are not, however, party to the European Union Customs Union.

The EFTA was historically one of the two dominant western European trade blocs, but is now much smaller and closely associated with its historical competitor, the EU. It was established on 3 May 1960 to serve as an alternative trade bloc for those European states that were unable or unwilling to join the then European Economic Community (EEC), the main predecessor of the EU. The Stockholm Convention (1960), to establish the EFTA, was signed on 4 January 1960 in the Swedish capital by seven countries (known as the “Outer Seven“: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom).^[8] A revised Convention, the Vaduz Convention, was signed on 21 June 2001 and entered into force on 1 June 2002.^[9][10]

After 1995 only two founding members remained, namely Norway and Switzerland. The other five, Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom, had joined the EU at some point in the intervening years. (European Free Trade Association. Wikipedia, accessed 10/19/26)

So, we see that the EFTA was established as an alternative to the EEC, which became the EU. Yet, many once in the EFTA are now part of the EU.

Ultimately, I believe that Bible supports the view that those who remain in the EFTA will later align with the rest of Europe–though ultimately it will not turn our well for those nations (cf. Ezekiel 5:4; see also the free eBook: Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?).

To learn more scriptures and other information related to future trade and Europe, we put together the following video:

14:49

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.

Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

Trade matters are changing.

Church of God warnings on trade are coming to pass.

Are YOU paying attention?