The Federal Council was briefed today on the progress of work to finalise the agreements. Following the substantive conclusion of negotiations in December 2024, the legal and formal review of the agreement texts was initiated. This review is still ongoing and will be completed with a view to the texts being initialled by the chief negotiators, which is expected to take place in Bern in May 2025. The agreements are also currently being translated into Switzerland's official languages ahead of the consultation process, which should be launched before the summer.
The Federal Council was also informed of progress on implementing the agreements negotiated to stabilise and further develop the bilateral approach with the EU. It was also briefed on the accompanying national measures and the outcome of talks with the cantons, business and social partners, and other stakeholders on key aspects of the package, including wage protection, tuition fees, immigration, electricity and land transport.
With regard to wage protection, the Federal Council has taken note of the 'common understanding' of the social partners and the cantons, which includes measures to safeguard the current level of wage protection. The Federal Council has proposed further measures on this basis and instructed SECO to finalise the details of all measures with the social partners and cantons by the end of March 2025 (see separate press release).
The Federal Council has approved the approach to implementing the agreed safeguard clause nationally and instructed the FDJP to continue and complete the work needed ahead of the consultation on the overall Swiss–EU package.
Agreement on participation in EU programmes
Following the substantive conclusion of negotiations in December 2024, transitional arrangements in the areas of research and innovation were fully activated on
1 January 2025. In order to ensure Switzerland's association to the Horizon package (Horizon Europe, Euratom programme, Digital Europe Programme) with retroactive effect from 1 January 2025, the EU Programme Agreement (EUPA) must be signed this year. This component of the overall package is expected to be initialled in Brussels in April and signed in November 2025.
The above timetable was determined together with the European Commission, and includes the following key steps:
April 2025: initialling of the agreement on Switzerland's participation in the EU programmes by the chief negotiators (and, for Switzerland, by the lead negotiator from SERI) in Brussels (as part of overall package)
May 2025: initialling of the overall package by the chief negotiators (and, for Switzerland, by the co-negotiators from the relevant offices) in Bern
Before summer 2025: launch of consultation on the overall Swiss–EU package
November 2025: signing of the agreement on Switzerland's participation in the EU programmes by the Federal Council and European Commission (location tbd)
First quarter of 2026 (tbc): signing of the Swiss–EU agreements by the Federal Council and European Commission; adoption of dispatch to be submitted to Parliament
Address for enquiries:
For further information:
FDFA Communication
Tel. Press service +41 460 55 55
kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Publisher:
The Federal Council
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
