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Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer meets Hungary's Minister for Finance, Varga Mihály, in Budapest

25.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
On 25 June 2021 in Budapest, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer met the Hungarian Minister for Finance, Varga Mihály, for an exchange on bilateral and multilateral tax issues.

Project submissions opened for Horizon Europe

25.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
The European Commission has launched the calls for project proposals under Horizon Europe. Switzerland and the EU have not yet held negotiations on Switzerland's association to the programme. Researchers in Switzerland can nonetheless participate in the calls for proposals, albeit to a limited extent. If there is a delay or no association, Swiss researchers will have the possibility of receiving direct funding from the Confederation.

Number of cross-border commuters has grown steadily since the turn of the millennium

24.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
At the end of 2020, some 343 000 cross-border commuters were working in Switzerland. This was twice as many as 25 years ago. Nearly all of them came from a neighbouring country and worked in a border canton. Although the canton of Geneva had the highest absolute number of these workers, their percentage share in total employment was largest in the canton of Ticino. These are some of the findings from the “Cross-border commuters in Switzerland 1996-2020” publication from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Bilateral affairs and Swiss–EU relations high on the agenda for Ignazio Cassis' visit to Paris

18.06.2021 — Press releases EDA
On 17 June, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis met France's Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris. Talks focused on Swiss–EU relations and relations between Switzerland and France. Various international issues of current concern were also discussed.

Ignazio Cassis to meet Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris

16.06.2021 — Press releases EDA
On Thursday 17 June, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will be in Paris to meet with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian. Talks will focus on Swiss–EU relations and relations between Switzerland and France.

President Parmelin in Sweden for bilateral exchange

14.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
President Guy Parmelin was received by King Carl XVI Gustaf at the start of his visit to Sweden on Monday, 14 June 2021. He then met separately with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation Ibrahim Baylan and Minister for Higher Education and Research Matilda Ernkrans, and paid a courtesy visit to Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlén. The innovation agencies of Switzerland and Sweden signed a memorandum of understanding to further deepen their cooperation, which has been ongoing since 2013.

Council of Europe Ministerial Conference: Switzerland advocates for the protection of journalists

11.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga is concerned by the continued deterioration of working conditions experienced by journalists and media professionals. At the Council of Europe’s virtual Ministerial Conference on Media and Information Society on 11 June, she stressed Switzerland’s willingness to reverse this trend and support measures to strengthen freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Europe.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visits Vienna: signing of memorandum of understanding on new strategic partnership between Switzerland and Austria

10.06.2021 — Press releases EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will travel to Austria on 11 June. In Vienna, together with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg, he will sign a memorandum of understanding on the strategic partnership between the two countries. The following day, Mr Cassis will take part in the Europa-Forum Wachau and meet with Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

President Parmelin hails Slovenia trip a success

09.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
Swiss President Guy Parmelin met with President Borut Pahor during his visit to Slovenia on Wednesday 9 June. He also held talks with Prime Minister Janez Janša, Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek and Speaker of the National Assembly Igor Zorčič. Discussions focused on bilateral matters, including the development of economic relations, and issues of European policy. Slovenia will assume the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July.

Erstes Treffen des Gemischten Ausschusses zum Handelsabkommen Schweiz–Vereinigtes Königreich

08.06.2021 — Press releases Europa
Am 1. Januar 2021 trat das Handelsabkommen zwischen der Schweiz und dem Vereinigten Königreich (UK) in Kraft. Der zuständige Gemischte Ausschuss hielt am 8. Juni 2021 sein konstituierendes Treffen ab. Dabei wurden zentrale Themen für die Handelsbeziehungen zum Vereinigten Königreich wie die Ursprungskumulation und die Weiterentwicklung des Abkommens diskutiert.

European policy: Federal Council sets out next steps for second Swiss contribution

04.06.2021 — Press releases EDA
The unblocking of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states is part of the Federal Council's European policy agenda, with a view to pursuing the bilateral approach. At its meeting on 4 June, the Federal Council decided to prepare a dispatch on the unblocking of the corresponding framework credits. The dispatch will be submitted to Parliament in the autumn session.

No signing of Swiss–EU institutional agreement

26.05.2021 — Press releases EDA
At its meeting on 26 May, the Federal Council undertook an overall evaluation of the outcome of the negotiations on the institutional framework agreement (InstA). It concluded that there remain substantial differences between Switzerland and the EU on key aspects of the agreement. The conditions are thus not met for the signing of the agreement. The Federal Council today took the decision not to sign the agreement, and communicated this decision to the EU. This brings the negotiations on the draft of the InstA to a close. The Federal Council nevertheless considers it to be in the shared interest of Switzerland and the EU to safeguard their well-established cooperation and to systematically maintain the agreements already in force. It therefore wishes to launch a political dialogue with the EU on continued cooperation. Meanwhile, it has tasked the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to consider how autonomous amendments to Swiss legislation might contribute to the stabilisation of Swiss–EU relations.

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Federal Council adopts dispatch on amendment of double taxation agreement with Germany

14.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
During its meeting on 14 June 2024, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the protocol of amendment to the double taxation agreement (DTA) with Germany. The protocol adapts the DTA to various changes in the needs of the contracting states and implements the minimum standards from the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project with regard to DTAs.

Swiss president meets Portugal’s president and prime minister

12.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
President Viola Amherd met Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro on Wednesday, 12 June. The talks in Bern focused on the countries’ close bilateral relations, European policy, the upcoming summit on peace in Ukraine and cooperation between Switzerland and Portugal at multilateral level.

Flankierende Massnahmen und Schwarzarbeitsbekämpfung: Kontrollziele im Jahr 2023 erfüllt

10.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
Die Vollzugsorgane haben im Rahmen der flankierenden Massnahmen (FlaM) und des Bundesgesetzes gegen die Schwarzarbeit (BGSA) ihre Kontrollen im Jahr 2023 ohne pandemiebedingte Einschränkungen und mit vollem Ressourceneinsatz durchgeführt. Das FlaM-Mindestkontrollziel wurde erneut erreicht. Ein Rückblick zeigt, wie sich das FlaM-Schutzdispositiv in den letzten zwanzig Jahren stetig weiterentwickelt und neuen Gegebenheiten angepasst hat.

Cooperation on military training: Slovenia and Switzerland sign agreement

10.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
The head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports, President Viola Amherd, and Slovenian Defence Minister Marjan Šarec signed an agreement in Bern on 10 June to strengthen cooperation on military training. The talks also focused on the current security situation in the Middle East, Ukraine and the Western Balkans.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis to attend third Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin

10.06.2024 — Press releases EDA
Switzerland has been supporting the recovery and reconstruction process in Ukraine since the start of the war. In line with this commitment, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will attend the third Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Berlin on 11 and 12 June 2024, following on from the URCs in Lugano (2022) and London (2023). The Berlin conference will focus, among other things, on private sector involvement, social aspects and the promotion of local and regional development.

Small rise in Schengen visa fees

07.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
From 11 June 2024, there will be a small rise in the fee charged for a short-stay visa in all Schengen states. This is a result of a change to the Visa Code, which Switzerland has adopted as a member of the Schengen area. The Federal Council approved the rise in visa fees at its meeting on 7 June.

Switzerland and Italy sign permanent tax rules for home working

06.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter and Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, signed an amending protocol to the existing cross-border commuter agreement. The protocol regulates the taxation of home working for cross-border commuters for the long term.

Swiss scientists to retain access to one of world’s most powerful neutron sources

06.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
On 6 June, State Secretary Martina Hirayama signed an agreement on behalf of the Federal Council to renew Switzerland's participation in the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble (France) from 2024. This will consolidate Switzerland's position in a key sector of the European Research Area: Swiss scientists will continue to be able to use a unique neutron source and over 40 experimental stations for their work.

Schweiz – EU: Diskussionen zu den Schutzmassnahmen der EU auf Stahleinfuhren

04.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
Am 4. Juni 2024 hat auf Antrag der Schweiz ein ausserordentliches Treffen des Gemischten Ausschusses des Freihandelsabkommens zwischen der Schweiz und der EU stattgefunden. Diskutiert wurden die geplante Verlängerung und die vorgesehenen Anpassungen an den Schutzmassnahmen der EU auf Stahleinfuhren sowie deren Auswirkungen auf die Schweiz.

Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter to meet German Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner, in Berlin

04.06.2024 — Press releases Europa
On 5 June 2024, Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter will meet the German Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner, in Berlin. The exchange will focus on the state of public finances and the debt brake, as well as international financial market stability and the minimum taxation of multinational enterprises.

Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter meets Hungary's Minister for Finance, Varga Mihály, in Budapest

27.05.2024 — Press releases Europa
Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter met Hungary's Minister for Finance, Varga Mihály, in Budapest on 27 May 2024. They discussed current financial and tax issues in the run-up to Hungary's presidency of the Council of the European Union.

President Amherd and Bulgarian president Radev discuss bilateral relations, Europe and the security situation

27.05.2024 — Press releases Europa
On Monday 27 May, Swiss president Viola Amherd and Bulgarian president Rumen Radev discussed bilateral relations between their two countries, European policy, the security situation on the continent and the strengthening of multilateralism. The meeting took place in Bern.

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Coronavirus: Further easing of entry restrictions from 8 June

27.05.2020 — Europa
The Federal Council is to further relax entry restrictions in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions will be lifted in step with the reopening of the economy. From 8 June, the cantons will begin processing applications from workers from the EU/EFTA member states. In addition, Swiss companies will be allowed to employ highly skilled workers from third countries if this is in the public interest, or if they are urgently required. To benefit the domestic workforce, companies will again be required to give notification of job vacancies, a measure that was temporarily suspended during the lockdown. Lastly, the Federal Council plans to lift all travel restrictions and re-establish the free movement of persons across the Schengen area no later than 6 July. Border controls with Germany, Austria and France will be lifted as early as 15 June, as previously announced.

Securing access to research cooperation and funding programmes in Europe

20.05.2020 — Europa
Horizon Europe, the EU’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, is due to start in 2021. Along with three other European initiatives, Horizon Europe forms the ‘2021–2027 Horizon package’. On 20 May 2020 the Federal Council adopted a dispatch on funding requesting Parliament to approve CHF 6,154 million in funding to secure Switzerland’s participation in the Horizon package. Provided Parliament approves this funding, the Federal Council and the EU will be able to renew their bilateral research agreement and secureSwitzerland’s continued and uninterrupted participation in the Horizon package as an associated state.

Coronavirus: Switzerland reaches agreement with Germany, Austria and France on opening borders

13.05.2020 — Europa
Switzerland plans to open all borders with Germany, Austria and France on 15 June 2020, if the epidemiological situation allows. Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter has reached agreement on this move following talks with the interior ministers of these three neighbouring countries. She advised the Federal Council of the agreement at its meeting on 13 May 2020.

New slides provide handy, up-to-date information on Switzerland’s European policy

26.11.2019 — Article Europa
Switzerland enjoys close, important and diverse relations with the European Union. They are based on the bilateral approach and influence many aspects of citizens’ lives, both in Switzerland and in the EU.

Serbian Prime Minister Brnabić attends working meeting with President Maurer

03.09.2019 — Europa
On Tuesday, 3 September, President Ueli Maurer received Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić at the Bernerhof for a working visit on the fringes of Swiss Digital Day. Discussions covered bilateral issues such as business and digital transformation, Serbia’s relations with the European Union, and the situation in the Western Balkans.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visits Samos refugee camp and meets new Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs

10.07.2019 — EDA
Mr Cassis's visit to Greece has mainly been concerned with the situation of refugees and the challenges posed by migration. On Tuesday, the head of the FDFA visited the refugee camp on Samos and today met Nikos Dendias, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs this week, and President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Switzerland and EU adapt their insurance agreement

05.07.2018 — Europa
Switzerland and the EU have been adapting their Direct Insurance Agreement which has existed since 1989 to the new regulatory requirements. The mixed committee with representatives from both sides adopted the changes on 3 July 2018 and brought them into effect. Thereby the agreement is also in line with the future requirements of the Swiss insurance business.

Switzerland and France give go-ahead to implementation of EuroAirport agreement

19.12.2017 — EDA
At their first meeting, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian brought the issue of the tax regime at Basel-Mulhouse (EuroAirport) to a conclusion: the agreement regulating Swiss companies operating at EuroAirport will be applicable from next year. The two foreign ministers' working meeting also focused on other bilateral issues, the situation in Europe and Switzerland's policy with regard to the EU.

EU-Switzerland Financial Regulatory Dialogue held in Bern

19.10.2017 — Europa
The Swiss State Secretariat for International Financial Matters and the European Commission held their 2017 Financial Regulatory Dialogue on October 19 in Berne. The Dialogue was co-chaired by Jörg Gasser, State Secretary for International Financial Matters, and Olivier Guersent, European Commission's Director General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. Participants included staff from the European Commission, European Supervisory Authorities, Single Resolution Board, the Swiss federal administration, the Swiss National Bank and the Swiss Financial Supervisory Authority FINMA.

European Parliament’s PANA Committee to visit Switzerland

15.09.2017 — Europa
The Swiss authorities will receive a delegation from the European Parliament's PANA Committee on 15 September. The focus of the talks will be the current system and the ongoing work to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and tax offences.

Switzerland once again a full member of partnership-funded EU innovation programmes

23.08.2017 — Europa
On 23 August, the Federal Council approved the agreements on Switzerland’s participation in the Eurostars-2 and the Active and Assisted Living research and development programmes. This means that Switzerland is once again a full member of both programmes and is co-financed by the EU. The programmes are particularly interesting for research-intensive SMEs looking to enter new European or global markets through cross-border cooperation. Switzerland’s participation in the AAL programme is one of the many measures that form part of the federal government’s Skilled Workers Initiative.

Linking of the Swiss and European emissions trading systems: big step forward

16.08.2017 — Europa
Switzerland and the European Union are preparing to link their emissions trading systems. The Federal Council approved the signing of the corresponding agreement at its meeting of 16 August 2017. The European Commission has also adopted proposals for the signature and ratification of the agreement and has submitted them to the Council of the European Union for approval. The agreement could be signed before the end of this year. Its ratification must then be approved by the Swiss and European parliaments.

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