As I have mentioned before, recently the EU Council approved the UK negotiating on Brexit issues with EFTA States. The details of this negotiation have now been released to the public. Here they are. A few comments. 1/x 
2/ The UK/EFTA negotiations are taking place on the assumption that the withdrawal agreement is agreed and comes into force, and seek to match up the UK's relations with EFTA States with UK/EU relations during the transition period set out in the withdrawal agreement.
3/ The scope of the UK/EFTA State talks is limited to a) one aspect of citizens' rights - issuing residence documents during the transition period; and b) "other separation issues", which are not specified. There's no issue at this point of negotiating to join EFTA, etc.
4/ Why is the scope of the talks so limited? Because, as the document notes, the intention is that the UK stays a de facto party to all EU agreements during the transition period in the withdrawal agreement. I discuss this in more detail here: eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-brid…
5/ Obviously there would be much bigger issues in UK/EFTA relations either a) in there's no deal; or b) at the end of the transition period. But they aren't the subject of the current negotiations. One hopes that the UK govt has given some thought to UK/EFTA issues if no deal.
6/ Finally: it's annoying that the EU took two months to make this document public. But AFAIK the UK govt has said nothing about EFTA relations beyond a vague platitude about citizens' rights. Very odd UK citizens have to look to EU to find out about UK talks with non-EU States.
