Negotiations between Switzerland and the EU are on the verge of success

The conclusion of negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) is expected this Friday in Bern. The Federal Council should look into the matter during its meeting. To mark the occasion and conclude the discussions, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

The Federal Council held an initial discussion on the European issue during its meeting last week. According to various media, the government should decide on the conclusion of the negotiations during its session on Friday. However, this information could not be confirmed because the Federal Council remains in control of the agenda until the last moment.

According to research by German-speaking radio and television SRF, the Federal Council decided last Friday to split the package of agreements, which could lead to four referendums and four separate popular votes, as the Tamedia newspapers also wrote. Questioned by the press agency Keystone-ATSthe Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) responded that the Federal Council would consider the question of the structure of the package in due course.

Rapid conclusion expected in Brussels

In Brussels, we expect an end to negotiations this week, we learned Keystone-ATS from different diplomatic sources. The time has come to “de-escalate” relations between the EU and Switzerland. The imminent conclusion of a “historic agreement” is expected, the Belgian Minister for European Affairs declared on Tuesday on the sidelines of a Council meeting.

Last week, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic spoke twice by telephone to discuss the final stages of the negotiations. The two politicians would have discussed in particular the amount of the cohesion contribution that Switzerland pays to the EU for its participation in the European internal market.

Von der Leyen in Switzerland

It is currently unclear whether European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Switzerland to conclude negotiations with Federal President Viola Amherd. The two women together kicked off the negotiations on March 18 in Brussels.

Over the past nine months, Bern and Brussels have been negotiating to settle future joint relations, updating existing agreements and concluding new ones. As soon as the negotiations are completed, the Federal Council should begin work in order to be able to transmit the file to Parliament. If approved, the agreements should then be submitted to the Swiss people in one or more votes. (mbr/ats)

The news in Switzerland is here

Switzerland is preparing for a campaign before the Bilateral III vote, scheduled for fall 2028, after negotiations concluded with Brussels.

In diplomatic circles in Brussels, the road map is clear: on Friday, the Federal Council will take a formal decision on the outcome of the negotiations with Switzerland. The legal texts will be finalized and introduced into the parliamentary process no earlier than 2025. “This set of measures should most likely be submitted to a referendum in 2027,” the European Commission told the 27 member states, according to an internal report that we consulted.