Agreement: Breakthrough: EU and Switzerland want to strengthen partnership

The European Union and Switzerland want to permanently strengthen their partnership. Years of negotiations between Bern and Brussels on updating existing cooperation agreements and possible new agreements have been concluded to the satisfaction of both sides, as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Swiss President Viola Amherd said in Bern.

However, implementation is not yet guaranteed because there is a threat of a referendum in EU-critical Switzerland. It could still be years before it takes place.

Trade unions have already criticized the package because they fear pressure on high Swiss wages, for example because EU citizens should only be entitled to the lower expenses of their home countries when working in Switzerland.

The Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Hochrhein-Bodensee welcomed the agreement. Clear and stable framework conditions are essential to secure cross-border trade and close cooperation with Switzerland in the long term, she said.

“Today is a day of great joy,” said von der Leyen. “The agreement makes our partnership future-proof.” President Amherd said: “Today is a milestone for the stabilization and further development of bilateral relations.”

Not in the EU, but in the Schengen area

The Swiss government had spoken out in favor of joining the EU more than 30 years ago, but in 1992 the people alone rejected joining the European Economic Area (EEA) by 50.3 percent. Since then, around 25 bilateral agreements have been concluded. Switzerland already has extensive access to the EU internal market, in return the free movement of people applies with certain conditions.

However, due to changes in the law in the EU, many agreements are no longer up to date and should be modernized. This includes a dynamic legal adoption, with Switzerland updating its regulations to maintain harmony with EU rules.

From 2030 onwards, Switzerland will now pay 375 million euros every year to support structurally weak regions in the EU. EU students should pay the same tuition fees at Swiss universities as local students. Additional agreements were concluded in areas such as health protection and space research.

No quick implementation in sight

The free movement of people is about employees – anyone who wants to live in Switzerland without a job must prove that they have the necessary means to do so, as the government specifies. Switzerland is also part of the Schengen area of ​​EU countries that do not carry out systematic checks on people at the borders. It also works with the EU in areas such as asylum, agriculture, information exchange, banks, emissions trading and police.

What’s next? Switzerland wants to legally prepare the contract package by summer and initiate the necessary domestic policy adjustments. The government will then examine the whole thing and, if the assessment is positive, will sign it, said Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. The package will then go to parliament. The party with the largest number of voters, the SVP, rejects the package and wants to delay everything as long as possible. She wants to push through a referendum. It could take until 2027 or 2028 before the entire package comes into force.