Text · Opinion parliamentary committee
On 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
Full title
On 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
Document INTA-AD-785432 · 10643/2025 – C100075/2026 – 2025/0162(NLE)
- Kind
- Opinion parliamentary committee INTA-AD-785432
- Date
- 12 May 2026
- Committee
- Committee on International Trade
- Rapporteur
- Željana Zovko
- Dossier
- 2025-0162
More facts (3)
- Formats
- Official page PDF Word
- Subject matter
- c_6f402b92
- Reference
- 10643/2025 – C100075/2026 – 2025/0162(NLE)
In short
A summary of the text written by AI; ¶ opens the paragraph it rests on.
AI: In short Written by AI from the official text — check the source · deepseek-flash · 25 Sept 2026
The Committee on International Trade gives its opinion on the draft Council decision concluding a broad package of agreements between the EU and the Swiss Confederation. It calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs to recommend approval of the draft decision. The opinion says the modernised package creates a stable framework for deeply integrated economies, giving frictionless access to a market of 460 million consumers, reducing technical barriers and aligning standards in key sectors such as medical devices and agri-food products. It states the package strengthens cross-border supply chains and gives clearer rules for people living, working or studying across the EU-Swiss border, and that deepening ties with a like-minded partner builds economic resilience and secures supply chains.
Position. The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision concluding the broad package of agreements with the Swiss Confederation.
Key points
- Switzerland is described as a like-minded and strategic partner with deeply integrated economies and interconnected markets, and as a partner in the World Trade Organisation committed to a rules-based multilateral trading system.
- Common challenges cited include Russia's aggression of Ukraine, economic security issues and unfair competition from non-market economies.
- The modernised package is said to establish a stable, forward-looking framework that reflects the high level of integration and adapts it to current economic and geopolitical realities.
- The package is said to enable frictionless access to a market of 460 million consumers, reduce technical barriers and align standards in key sectors, including medical devices and agri-food products.
- The package is said to enhance legal certainty, facilitate trade, strengthen cross-border supply chains and provide clearer and more consistent rules for individuals living, working or studying across the EU-Swiss border.
- The opinion states the EU accounts for around 53% of Switzerland's total trade and that Switzerland remains one of the EU's top global trading partners.
- It states that in 2024 bilateral trade in goods reached €328.3 billion, with EU exports of €193.4 billion and a surplus of €58.6 billion.
- It states EU companies account for more than two-thirds of foreign direct investment in Switzerland, while Swiss investments in the EU amount to approximately €588 billion.
- It states that in 2023 total bilateral trade in services reached €245 billion, accounting for nearly 9% of the EU's total trade in services and for 40% of Swiss exports and 45% of imports.
- The opinion says deepening and modernising relations with a trusted, like-minded partner strengthens economic resilience, secures supply chains and reinforces a rules-based international trading system.
- The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to recommend approval of the draft Council decision concluding the broad package of agreements with the Swiss Confederation.
Who is affected
- EU and Swiss businesses: the package is said to reduce technical barriers, align standards and facilitate trade in sectors such as medical devices and agri-food products.
- Individuals living, working or studying across the EU-Swiss border: the package is said to provide clearer and more consistent rules.
- The EU and Switzerland: the opinion says the package consolidates, deepens and expands their bilateral relations.
Figures and deadlines
- 460 million consumers: the size of the market to which the package is said to give frictionless access.
- around 53%: the share of Switzerland's total trade accounted for by the EU.
- €328.3 billion: bilateral trade in goods in 2024.
- €193.4 billion: EU exports in 2024.
- €58.6 billion: EU surplus in 2024.
- approximately €588 billion: Swiss investments in the EU.
- €245 billion: total bilateral trade in services in 2023.
- nearly 9%: the share of the EU's total trade in services accounted for by bilateral trade in services in 2023.
Text
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Short justification
Switzerland is a like-minded and strategic partner of the European Union, with deeply integrated economies and closely interconnected markets. The EU and Switzerland are also important partners in international fora like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where they share a strong commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system. In addition, EU and Switzerland are facing a growing number of common challenges, including Russia’s aggression of Ukraine, economic security issues and unfair competition from non-market economies.
The modernised EU–Switzerland package establishes a stable, forward-looking framework that reflects this high level of integration and adapts it to current economic and geopolitical realities. By enabling frictionless access to a market of 460 million consumers, reducing technical barriers and aligning standards in key sectors, the package enhances legal certainty and facilitates trade, including in areas such as medical devices and agri-food products. It also strengthens cross-border supply chains and provides clearer and more consistent rules for individuals living, working or studying across the EU–Swiss border.
The EU accounts for around 53% of Switzerland’s total trade, while Switzerland remains one of the EU’s top global trading partners. In 2024, bilateral trade in goods reached €328.3 billion, with EU exports of €193.4 billion and a surplus of €58.6 billion. Investment ties are equally significant, with EU companies accounting for more than two-thirds of foreign direct investment in Switzerland, while Swiss investments in the EU amount to approximately €588 billion. The EU is Switzerland’s principal trading partner in services as well. In 2023, total bilateral trade in services reached €245 billion, accounting for nearly 9% of the EU’s total trade in services and for 40% of Swiss exports and 45% of imports.
In a context of growing global uncertainty, the deepening and modernisation of relations with a trusted, like-minded partner contributes to strengthening economic resilience, securing supply chains and reinforcing a rules-based international trading system.
The Committee on International Trade 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 to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation.
Back matter, 1
Parts that accompany the text rather than belong to it: explanatory statement, annexes, opinions appended by other committees. Collapsed.
Annex: declaration of input 4 blocks
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| NA |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies |
| Mission of Switzerland to the European Union |
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.
Procedure pages and committee votes
How the committees handled the text and how their members voted on it. Collapsed.
Procedure – committee asked for opinion 1 block
| Title | Conclusion of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation | |
| References | 10643/2025 – C10-0075/2026 – 2025/0162(NLE) | |
| Committee(s) responsible Date announced in plenary | AFET 25.3.2026 | |
| Opinion by Date announced in plenary | INTA 25.3.2026 | |
| Rapporteur for opinion Date appointed | Željana Zovko 15.7.2025 | |
| Discussed in committee | 15.4.2026 | |
| Date adopted | 6.5.2026 | |
| Result of final vote | +: –: 0: | 34 1 2 |
Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 blocks
34 · For
- ECR
- Rihards Kols, Daniele Polato, Francesco Torselli, Kris Van Dijck
- No group
- Taner Kabilov
- EPP
- Mika Aaltola, Michalis Hadjipantela, Ilia Lazarov, Miriam Lexmann, Angelika Niebler, Lídia Pereira, Inese Vaidere, Loránt Vincze, Jörgen Warborn, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
- Patriots
- Enikő Győri, Sebastian Kruis, Thierry Mariani, Pierre Pimpie
- Renew
- Petras Auštrevičius, Benoit Cassart, Bart Groothuis, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro
- S&D
- Stefano Bonaccini, Udo Bullmann, Jean-Marc Germain, Bernd Lange, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Kathleen Van Brempt
- Greens
- Anna Cavazzini, Markéta Gregorová, Catarina Vieira
Connections
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Sources & citation
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- Data source
- Licensed CC BY 4.0.
- Retrieved
- 25 September 2026
Cite as
European Parliament (2026). “OPINION on 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”. Text, 12 May 2026. docId INTA-AD-785432. EU Parl Watch Research. https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/INTA-AD-785432 (retrieved 25 September 2026). Data: EP Open Data API: document record, https://data.europarl.europa.eu/api/v2/documents/INTA-AD-785432 (CC BY 4.0).
BibTeX
@misc{epw-text-inta-ad-785432,
author = {{European Parliament}},
title = {{OPINION on 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}},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-05-12},
howpublished = {\url{https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/INTA-AD-785432}},
url = {https://news.eu-parl.st-solutions.dev/texts/INTA-AD-785432},
urldate = {2026-09-25},
publisher = {EU Parl Watch Research},
note = {Text. docId INTA-AD-785432. Data: EP Open Data API: document record (CC BY 4.0)}
}