“A European headquarters needs people who understand the different European cultures. Switzerland itself is a melting pot of Germans, French and Italians.”

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A cooperative advantage

Although it remains outside the EU, the Swiss confederation shares common ground with the 27 member states - economically, culturally and legally.

Switzerland is the EU’s

• second-largest customer;
• third-largest supplier of goods.

Thanks to a series of bilateral trade agreements and longstanding active political cooperation, GREATER GENEVA BERNE area (GGBa) companies have guaranteed access to the european market’s 450 million consumers. The policy has been endorsed by Swiss voters in a number of referendums.

The fact that Switzerland remains outside the EU is not deemed to be a disadvantage in the slightest. A survey of top managers of foreign companies established in Switzerland showed that 37% of them believed this to be an advantage, 35% felt that it was neither an advantage nor a disadvantage, while 15% remained convinced that it represented a significant advantage!

A free trade zone

The Free Trade Agreement of 1972 was the first in a series of comprehensive bilateral agreements, followed by the ratification of the Bilateral Agreements I and II with the EU in 1999 and 2004. These agreements ensured the free movement of people and set out the conditions for a further reciprocal opening of markets and access to funding in specific areas including research, security, the environment, agriculture, air and land transport.
As a result of the free trade agreements with the eu, imports and exports of industrial products are effectively exempt from customs and quota restrictions.

Market access

The market access afforded by the bilateral agreements, combined with the advantages Switzerland retains as a non-member of the EU, create the perfect conditions for locating European and worldwide operations in the GGBa. The region shares borders with EU members France and Italy, and is close to Germany.

Ongoing ties with Europe

Switzerland’s priorities in terms of European policy include:

• Consistently updating, expanding or renewing existing bilateral agreements;
• Agreeing new bilateral agreements when it is opportune.

Highlights

• Percentage of Swiss exports to the EU 60%
• Percentage of Swiss imports of EU origin 80%
• Number of EU nationals residing in Switzerland 900,000
• Number of EU nationals crossing the border daily to work in Switzerland 180,000

Source: Integration Office, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs / Federal Department of Economic Affairs