Welcome message of the Head of Mission Rita Adam
I would like to welcome you very warmly on the website of the Swiss Mission to the European Union (EU). Here you will find a large number of information on Switzerland's European policy as well as on the Mission's tasks.
Switzerland and the EU share values, languages, culture and history. Within the framework of our long-standing and well-established partnership, we work closely together in numerous areas. Switzerland is not a Member State, but has decided to build its relations with the Union based on bilateral agreements. The spectrum of cooperation ranges from trade and economy to research, migration/asylum, sustainability, foreign and human rights policy to culture.
More than half of Switzerland's exports go to the EU; inversely, more than two-thirds of the imports come from the EU. The daily commercial trade volume amounts to around one billion Swiss francs. This makes Switzerland one of the EU's four most important trading partners, together with the USA, China and the United Kingdom.
However, human ties are also close. 1.4 million EU/EFTA citizens live in our country, which corresponds to about 17% of the total population. More than 340,000 cross-border commuters come to work in Switzerland every day. Almost 40% of the academic staff at Swiss universities are EU citizens.
At the end of 2024, Switzerland and the EU concluded negotiations on a package aimed at stabilizing and further developing their bilateral relations. In June 2025, the ratification process began in Switzerland with the Federal Council opening the consultation process. On 2 March 2026, the President of Switzerland and the European Commission President signed the agreements. The parliamentary phase begun following the submission of the dispatch to Parliament in March 2026. The package includes the updating of five existing internal market agreements containing institutional elements, as well as cooperation agreements in the fields of research, education, and space. On the other hand, it includes new agreements in the areas of electricity, food safety, and health.
Thank you for your interest in Swiss-EU relations. I hope you enjoy this virtual tour of the Mission! My team and I look forward to your questions and feedback.