The Commission welcomes the Council's decision authorising the European Union to enter into negotiations with Switzerland on a broad package of bilateral measures, together with the corresponding negotiating directives.
This follows the Commission's recommendation for a mandate, presented on 20 December 2023, based on the EU-Swiss Common Understanding which was reached after 18 months of intensive exploratory talks. The Swiss Federal Council adopted its mandate to launch negotiations with the EU on 8 March 2024.
The aim of the negotiations is to modernise and deepen bilateral relations between the EU and Switzerland. It will also ensure a level playing field for competition between respective companies operating within the internal market and guarantee the protection of the rights of EU citizens 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 internal market, providing for dynamic alignment with EU law, its uniform interpretation and application, and dispute settlement;
- 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.
Next Steps
As both sides have now obtained their mandates necessary to commence negotiations, the first formal negotiating round will take place in March. Negotiations on the different elements of the package will be conducted in parallel.
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.
Since March 2022, 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.
