Switzerland and the European Union today
Bern, Brussels
Key figures: Ignazio Cassis
Sources: FDFA (Italian), Federal Council, 20.12.2024 (Italian)
The framework agreement (2014–2021). The European Union wants common rules for updating the bilateral agreements and settling disputes. From 2014 an institutional agreement is negotiated; the 2018 text meets strong opposition over wages, state aid and the rights of EU citizens. On 26 May 2021 the Federal Council breaks off the negotiations, and for a time Switzerland is excluded from European research programmes.
The new package (2022–2024). In 2022 the Federal Council proposes a package approach. After exploratory talks, it approves the negotiating mandate on 8 March 2024: the existing agreements are updated one by one, with dynamic adoption of EU law, a dispute settlement mechanism and exception clauses, and new ones are added on electricity, health and food safety. On 20 December 2024 the Federal Council takes note of the material conclusion of the negotiations.
The debate in parliament (2026). In the autumn session of 2026 the Council of States approves the package and decides that it must be put to a vote requiring a double majority of the people and the cantons. The file passes to the National Council; the citizens will have the last word.
The north façade of the Federal Palace in Bern at dawn on 16 September 2026, during the autumn session in which the Council of States debated the EU package
Photo Manuellopez.ch, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0