Brussels, 18 March 2024
President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd launched today the negotiations on a broad package of measures to deepen and expand the EU-Switzerland relationship.
This follows the adoption of the Swiss and EU negotiating mandates on 8 and 12 March 2024, respectively. The two mandates authorise the Commission and Switzerland to negotiate the package outlined in theCommon Understanding, endorsed by the Swiss Federal Council and the European Commission in November 2023.
The Common Understanding confirms both sides’ ambition to conclude the negotiation this year. The negotiating teams will meet tomorrow.
Mutual benefits of European and Swiss citizens and businesses
The negotiations aim at ensuring a level playing field for competition between EU and Swiss companies operating within the EU internal market and guarantee the protection of the rights of EU citizens working in Switzerland, including non-discrimination between citizens of different Member States.
Key elements of the package include:
- Institutional provisions to be included in existing and future agreements with Switzerland related to the EU internal market, providing for dynamic alignment with EU law, its uniform interpretation and application, and dispute settlement;
- State aid provisions in several existing and in future agreements with Switzerland related to the internal market;
- An agreement allowing for Switzerland’s participation in EU programmes, including Horizon Europe;
- An agreement on Switzerland’s regular and permanent financial contribution to social and economic cohesion in the EU as a counterpart to its participation in the internal market;
- A relaunch of negotiations towards agreements on electricity, food safety and health and on the participation of Switzerland in the European Union Agencies for the Space Programme and for Railways.
Moreover, following the launch of the negotiations, the Commission opens the possibility to Swiss entities to apply for the European Research Council calls opening in 2024. Swiss applicants will be treated as if Switzerland is an associated country from admissibility and eligibility to evaluation, up until the preparation of grant agreements.
Background
The EU and Switzerland are close neighbours with strong cross border links. The EU is Switzerland’s first trading partner, while Switzerland is the fourth largest partner for the EU. About one and a half million EU citizens live in Switzerland, and around 450 000 Swiss citizens live in the EU. A few hundred thousand of EU citizens cross the border daily to work.
Between March 2022 and November 2023, the EU and Switzerland were engaged in exploratory discussions on the future of their bilateral relations. On 15 December 2023, the Commission and the Federal Council published the Common Understanding that provides a written record of the outcome of the exploratory talks.
The EU mandate has been agreed in line with this Common Understanding, reflected in the Commission’s recommendation for a mandate, presented on 20 December 2023.
The mandate builds on the 2014 mandate for an institutional framework agreement as well as earlier mandates for agreements on electricity, health, food safety and the participation of Switzerland in the European Union Agencies for the Space Programme and for Railways.
More Information
- Commission welcomes the adoption of EU mandate by the Council for negotiations with Switzerland
- Questions and answers on the mandate for broad package negotiations with Switzerland
- EU-Switzerland: Council adopts mandate for negotiations on future relationship
- Commission proposes mandate for negotiations with Switzerland to Council
Quotes
Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship with Switzerland based on a renewed trust and engagement between partners and neighbours. I am glad that negotiations on our modernised partnership can finally start building on our Common Understanding. That is great news for the mutual benefit of European and Swiss citizens and businesses. I look forward for the finalisation of the negotiations this year to bring us even closer together allowing both sides to fully benefit from the potential of our relationship.
We have an opportunity to jointly upgrade and future-proof our partnership, while deepening cooperation in areas of mutual interest. This would also be a win-win in the current geopolitical reality where our shared values are under increased pressure. The Commission is committed to strengthening the current momentum, by going full steam ahead, with the objective to conclude the negotiations this year.
Source – EU Commission
Press statement by President von der Leyen with President Amherd of the Swiss Confederation
Brussels, 18 March 2024
Dear President, dear Viola,
It is my pleasure to welcome you here again in Brussels, after we met in Davos in January. Today is a very important moment for relations between Europe and Switzerland. Today we will launch negotiations on a renewed partnership with closer ties and stronger trust. We have fought hard to get where we are today but the results are truly impressive. We both agree that we now have a common understanding and a basis of trust upon which to quickly make further progress in the negotiations. Let’s make use of the momentum and continue working flat out.
Our aim is to complete the negotiations this year. This is important firstly because our relationship is unique. Our partnership deserves to be enhanced. These are challenging times. Global competition is becoming tougher. We therefore want to strengthen ties with our closest economic partners. Europe is Switzerland’s largest trading partner. Switzerland’s trade volume with the southern German Länder of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria alone is larger than its entire trade volume with China. These relations therefore need to be strengthened and maintained. We are also facing new challenges, for example in energy and health. It is worth us looking together at what we can improve and what we can make more from in those areas. For all our economic stakeholders – on both sides – it is important for us to have a fair and level playing field. Together we want to ensure this.
Secondly, we want to renew our partnership to create good conditions for our citizens. Our common understanding provides a solid basis for good protection of the rights of European citizens working in Switzerland. For us, it is critical that all EU citizens in Switzerland are treated equally – regardless of which Member State they come from. At the same time, we will work to ensure that Switzerland can participate in the European Union’s programmes as it wishes. There is still a great deal of potential that we can exploit together, for example for our students to come together under the umbrella of Erasmus+, learn together, become friends – and thus create bonds that last a lifetime. Or to allow our bright scientific minds on both sides to carry out research and drive innovation together through Horizon Europe. Or, for example, by offering our scientists the opportunity to monitor climate change in the Alps through our Copernicus satellite programme. There are lots of areas. I have only touched upon a few.
We have a common understanding of each other that we want to develop in the interest of our citizens. Our goal is to conclude a package of ten agreements. Together, we aim to make good and rapid progress on each of them.
Lastly, I would like to say that I am very pleased about the new momentum in our shared relations. I would also like to thank Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and our Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič for their tireless work and commitment. Europe’s door has always been open to a close partnership with Switzerland – one that benefits both sides. Now that our teams are setting to work, we wish them lots of luck and a strong tailwind to help them successfully open this new chapter of our partnership as soon as possible.
Once again, a warm welcome.
Source – EU Commission
See also on Insight EU: EU and Switzerland adopt their mandates for negotiations on future relations