Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation

Mr David McAllister

Chair

Committee on Foreign Affairs

BRUSSELS

Subject: Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation (10643/2025 – C10 0075/2026 – 2025/0162(NLE))

Dear Mr Chair,

Under the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee and decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs considered the matter and, at its meeting of 15 July 2026, it decided to submit the opinion set out below to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible.

Yours sincerely,

Li Andersson

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a broad package of agreements between the European Union, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other part, to consolidate, deepen and expand their bilateral relations, and amending Decisions 2011/51/EU and 2011/738/EU.

Short justification

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs welcomes the broad package of agreements between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation, which provides a stable and balanced framework for the further development of bilateral relations. The package contributes to legal certainty, strengthens cooperation in areas of mutual interest and ensures the continued functioning of close economic and social ties between the Union and Switzerland.

The Committee underlines that the free movement of persons remains a cornerstone of EU-Swiss relations and notes the importance of maintaining fair labour mobility while ensuring equal treatment and non-discrimination for workers. In this regard, the Committee welcomes provisions providing for dynamic alignment by Switzerland on current and future Union legal acts in the area of free movement of persons and the posting of workers, aimed at safeguarding workers’ rights, preventing social dumping and ensuring a level playing field through effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

The Committee further stresses the importance of robust coordination of social security systems, facilitating labour mobility while ensuring adequate social protection for mobile workers and their family members. In this regard it particularly welcomes that Switzerland will have access and financially contribute to the EURES, EESSI and IMI information systems. It also highlights the value of continued cooperation in the fields of occupational health and safety, vocational education and training, skills development and labour market integration.

The Committee considers that the package strikes an appropriate balance between deepening cooperation and preserving high social and labour standards. Therefore, it supports the conclusion of the agreements and calls for their effective implementation in full respect of the Union aquis, social partners’ role and fundamental social rights.