Chief Negotiators from the EU and Switzerland have initialled the package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand bilateral relations, benefitting citizens and businesses on both sides. Political negotiations for this package of agreements were concluded in December 2024.

The agreements initialled will expand EU-Switzerland cooperation into important areas of common interest, including: free movement of persons; air transport; the carriage of goods and passengers by rail and road; mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment; trade in agricultural products, together with a Protocol establishing a common food safety area; electricity; health; regular financial contribution towards reducing economic and social disparities in the European Union and on the terms and conditions for the participation in the European Union Agency for Space Programmes. 

In addition, the EU and the Swiss Chief Negotiators initialled a Protocol on parliamentary cooperation; a Joint Declaration on the establishment of a high-level dialogue on the broad bilateral package and the possible further development of the bilateral relations; and a Joint Declaration by representatives of the EU and Swiss Confederation on the level of partnership and cooperation in the period between the end of 2024 and the entry into force of the broad bilateral package. 

An agreement on Switzerland's participation in Union programmes, which forms an integral part of the same package, was initialled on 2 April 2025. Following the material conclusion of the negotiations in December 2024, today's initialling marks a significant step forward in strengthening cooperation between the two partners. 

As a next step, the Commission will propose Council Decisions authorising the signature of the above instruments and the conclusion of the package, including the Agreement on Union programmes published on 9 April 2025 (EU-Switzerland agreement on Switzerland's participation in Union programmes - European Commission. On that occasion, the Commission will publish the texts of all instruments. 

The EU and Switzerland will proceed with the ratification of the package according with their respective procedures. The EU remains fully committed to the successful completion of this process.  

(For more information: Olof Gill – Tel.: +32 2 296 59 66; Ana Apse-Paese – Tel.: +32 2 298 73 48)