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Liechtenstein's foreign economic policy has been dominated by its customs union with Switzerland (and with Austria-Hungary until World War I). This union also led to its independent membership in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1991. Unlike Switzerland however (where citizens rejected membership in a referendum), Liechtenstein is part of the European Economic Area.
Liechtenstein was admitted to the United Nations in 1990. It is not a member of most specialized agencies of the United Nations, with the exceptions of the International Telecommunication Union, the Universal Postal Union and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Liechtenstein has resorted two times to international dispute settlement by the International Court of Justice, in the Nottebohm (Liechtenstein v. Guatemala) case against Guatemala in the 1950s and in a case concerning art property of the Liechtenstein family against Germany in 2005. It lost in both cases.
Liechtenstein maintains resident embassies in Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Holy See, Switzerland and the United States, along with a number of missions to international organisations. Under a 1919 agreement between Liechtenstein and Switzerland, ambassadors of Switzerland are authorised to represent Liechtenstein in countries and in diplomatic situations unless Liechtenstein opts to send its own ambassador. [1] As of 2024, [update] Liechtenstein has diplomatic relations with 133 UN countries. [2]
The country has an international dispute with the Czech Republic and Slovakia concerning the estates of its princely family in those countries. After World War II, Czechoslovakia, as it then was, acting to seize what it considered to be German possessions, expropriated the entirety of the Liechtenstein dynasty's hereditary lands and possessions in the Czech regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia. The expropriations (which were the subject of an unsuccessful court case brought by Liechtenstein in the German courts and the International Court of Justice) included over 1,600 km2 (620 sq mi)[ citation needed ] (which is ten times the size of Liechtenstein) of agricultural and forest land mostly in Moravia, also including several family castles and palaces. An offer from the Czech Republic to return the palaces and castles (without the surrounding land) was rejected by Liechtenstein. [3]
Liechtenstein recognised and established diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic on 13 July 2009 [4] [5] [6] and with Slovakia on 9 December 2009. [7] Liechtenstein's ruling prince, Hans-Adam II, has announced that the principality will take no further legal action to recover the appropriated assets. [3]
In February 2020, the Czech Constitutional court in Brno rejected a case made by Liechtenstein to get the Czech government to change their classification of the Liechtenstein dynasty as German under the Beneš Decrees. [8] On 19 August 2020, an inter-state application under the European Convention on Human Rights was made by Liechtenstein to the European Court of Human Rights against the Czech Republic. [9]
List of countries which Liechtenstein maintains diplomatic relations with:
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# | Country | Date |
1 | ![]() | March 1919 [10] |
2 | ![]() | 14 September 1950 [11] |
3 | ![]() | 6 May 1952 [12] |
4 | ![]() | September 1981 [13] |
— | ![]() | 28 August 1985 [14] |
5 | ![]() | 4 September 1991 [15] |
6 | ![]() | 24 October 1991 [16] |
7 | ![]() | 20 November 1991 [17] |
8 | ![]() | 9 January 1992 [18] |
9 | ![]() | 9 January 1992 [18] |
10 | ![]() | 21 January 1992 [19] |
11 | ![]() | 31 January 1992 [20] |
12 | ![]() | 4 February 1992 [21] |
13 | ![]() | 6 February 1992 [22] |
14 | ![]() | 6 February 1992 [23] |
15 | ![]() | 6 February 1992 [24] |
16 | ![]() | 6 February 1992 [22] [ failed verification ] |
17 | ![]() | 10 February 1992 [25] |
18 | ![]() | 13 March 1992 [26] |
19 | ![]() | 13 March 1992 [26] |
20 | ![]() | 13 March 1992 [26] |
21 | ![]() | 5 May 1992 [27] |
22 | ![]() | 10 June 1992 [28] |
23 | ![]() | 25 June 1992 [29] |
24 | ![]() | 26 June 1992 [30] |
25 | ![]() | 26 June 1992 [31] |
26 | ![]() | 26 June 1992 [32] |
27 | ![]() | 2 October 1992 [33] |
28 | ![]() | 8 October 1992 [34] |
29 | ![]() | 13 January 1993 [35] |
30 | ![]() | 2 March 1993 [36] |
31 | ![]() | 6 April 1993 [37] |
32 | ![]() | 23 April 1993 [38] |
33 | ![]() | 14 June 1993 [39] |
34 | ![]() | 11 January 1994 [40] |
35 | ![]() | 12 January 1994 [41] |
36 | ![]() | 12 January 1994 [41] |
37 | ![]() | 30 January 1994 [42] |
38 | ![]() | 31 January 1994 [43] |
39 | ![]() | 25 April 1994 [44] |
40 | ![]() | 25 April 1994 [44] |
41 | ![]() | 1 July 1994 [45] |
42 | ![]() | 6 July 1994 [46] |
— | ![]() | 7 November 1994 [47] |
43 | ![]() | 1 September 1995 [48] |
44 | ![]() | 24 November 1995 [49] |
45 | ![]() | 4 December 1995 [50] |
46 | ![]() | 16 February 1996 [51] |
47 | ![]() | 12 March 1996 [52] |
48 | ![]() | 12 June 1996 [53] [54] |
49 | ![]() | 5 July 1996 [55] |
50 | ![]() | 2 October 1996 [56] |
51 | ![]() | 2 October 1996 [56] |
52 | ![]() | 3 December 1996 [57] |
53 | ![]() | 10 February 1997 [58] |
54 | ![]() | 14 March 1997 [59] |
55 | ![]() | 11 June 1997 [60] |
56 | ![]() | 14 August 1997 [61] |
57 | ![]() | 17 October 1997 [62] |
58 | ![]() | 17 October 1997 [62] |
59 | ![]() | 12 December 1997 [63] |
60 | ![]() | 18 March 1998 [64] |
61 | ![]() | 14 August 1998 [65] |
62 | ![]() | 14 August 1998 [65] |
63 | ![]() | 16 September 1999 [66] |
64 | ![]() | 12 January 2000 [67] |
65 | ![]() | 9 June 2000 [68] |
66 | ![]() | 9 June 2000 [68] |
67 | ![]() | 27 March 2001 [69] |
68 | ![]() | 2 May 2001 [70] |
69 | ![]() | 14 August 2001 [71] |
70 | ![]() | 24 October 2001 [72] |
71 | ![]() | 4 April 2003 [73] |
72 | ![]() | 12 May 2003 [74] |
73 | ![]() | 8 January 2004 [75] |
74 | ![]() | July 2004 [76] |
75 | ![]() | 1 April 2005 [77] |
76 | ![]() | 17 October 2005 [78] |
77 | ![]() | 21 October 2005 [79] |
78 | ![]() | 31 January 2007 [80] |
79 | ![]() | 26 March 2007 [81] |
80 | ![]() | 28 January 2008 [82] |
81 | ![]() | 7 May 2008 [83] |
82 | ![]() | 16 June 2008 [84] |
83 | ![]() | 2 July 2008 [85] |
84 | ![]() | 17 December 2008 [86] |
85 | ![]() | 29 April 2009 [87] |
86 | ![]() | 22 October 2009 [88] |
87 | ![]() | 8 September 2009 [89] |
88 | ![]() | 9 December 2009 [90] |
89 | ![]() | 19 April 2010 [88] |
90 | ![]() | 2010 [91] |
91 | ![]() | 21 January 2011 [92] |
92 | ![]() | 6 April 2011 [86] |
93 | ![]() | 8 June 2011 [93] |
— | ![]() | 28 June 2012 [94] [95] |
94 | ![]() | 21 October 2011 [96] |
95 | ![]() | 28 October 2011 [97] |
96 | ![]() | 15 November 2011 [98] |
97 | ![]() | 3 January 2012 [99] |
98 | ![]() | 1 June 2012 [100] |
99 | ![]() | 2012 [101] |
100 | ![]() | 23 February 2013 [102] |
101 | ![]() | 30 October 2013 [103] |
102 | ![]() | 31 January 2014 [88] |
103 | ![]() | 14 March 2014 [88] |
104 | ![]() | 26 June 2014 [104] |
105 | ![]() | 30 July 2014 [88] |
106 | ![]() | 11 December 2015 [104] |
107 | ![]() | 22 December 2015 [105] |
108 | ![]() | 2015 [106] |
109 | ![]() | 10 November 2016 [107] |
110 | ![]() | 12 May 2017 [88] |
111 | ![]() | 24 May 2017 [108] |
112 | ![]() | 20 October 2017 [107] |
113 | ![]() | 24 November 2017 [88] |
114 | ![]() | 25 September 2018 [88] |
115 | ![]() | 26 October 2018 [109] |
116 | ![]() | 2018 [110] |
117 | ![]() | 26 June 2019 [107] |
118 | ![]() | 26 June 2019 [111] |
119 | ![]() | 24 September 2019 [112] |
120 | ![]() | 26 September 2019 [113] |
121 | ![]() | 19 December 2019 [88] |
122 | ![]() | 2020 [114] |
123 | ![]() | 5 March 2021 [88] |
124 | ![]() | 23 June 2021 [111] |
125 | ![]() | 22 September 2021 [115] [116] |
126 | ![]() | 17 November 2021 [117] |
127 | ![]() | 2021 [115] |
128 | ![]() | 29 April 2022 [111] |
129 | ![]() | 18 September 2023 [88] |
130 | ![]() | 20 September 2023 [88] |
131 | ![]() | 4 March 2024 [118] |
132 | ![]() | 5 March 2024 [119] |
133 | ![]() | 1 November 2024 [88] |
134 | ![]() | 2024 [120] |
135 | ![]() | 2024 [120] |
136 | ![]() | 2024 [120] |
137 | ![]() | 12 August 2025 [121] |
138 | ![]() | Unknown |
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 1 July 1994 [122] |
|
![]() | 10 February 1997 [124] | See Liechtenstein–United States relations
|
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | See Hong Kong–Liechtenstein relations | |
![]() | 1993 [127] | See India–Liechtenstein relations |
![]() | June 1996 [128] | See Japan–Liechtenstein relations |
![]() | 2 March 1993 [130] | Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 02, 1993. [130]
|
![]() | 2 October 1992 [131] |
|
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
![]() | 13 July 2009 [136] | See Czech Republic–Liechtenstein relations
|
![]() | 27 August 1992 [138] | See France–Liechtenstein relations
|
![]() | 14 January 1992 | See Germany–Liechtenstein relations
|
![]() | 30 January 1994 [140] | See Liechtenstein–Russia relations |
![]() | 13 August 1919 | See Liechtenstein–Switzerland relations
|
![]() | 6 February 1992 [24] | See Liechtenstein–Ukraine relations
|
![]() | 6 February 1992 | See Liechtenstein–United Kingdom relations ![]() The UK established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 6 February 1992. [22] [ failed verification ]
Both countries share common membership of the Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, OSCE, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Convention, [145] a Free Trade Agreement, a Separation Agreement, a Social Security Coordination Convention, and a Trade Agreement. [146] |
Liechtenstein is a member of the following international organizations:
Liechtenstein was never a member of the League of Nations. Its application to join that international organisation was refused in 1920 due to its small size. [147] While included in the Schengen Area, Liechtenstein is not a member of the European Union.
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: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)Diplomatic Relations With Liechtenstein OW1206122896 Tokyo KYODO in English 1035 GMT 12 Jun 96 - [ FBIS Transcribed Text ] ...