Both Switzerland and the EU are interested in maintaining well-regulated, frictionless relations. For Switzerland, tailored access to the EU single market is important; for the EU, it is the integrity of its single market, which calls for the same rules to apply to all participants. This balance can be achieved with the package approach. Like the Bilaterals I and II, it comprises a number of thematic elements, including new agreements and institutional solutions. Negotiations based on the package approach began in mid-March 2024. After almost 200 rounds, they were materially concluded at the end of the year.

Thanks to the Bilaterals I (1999) and II (2004), relations between Switzerland and the EU have developed over the past decades to the benefit of both sides. The bilateral approach, embarked upon after Switzerland's unsuccessful bid to join the EEA in 1992, has shown itself to be robust and capable of achieving majority support. The EU is prepared to continue along this path, subject, however, to the condition that the same rules apply to all participants in the EU single market. This also pertains to Switzerland with regard to those market sectors in which it participates - air and land transport, free movement of persons, technical barriers to trade, agriculture – or aims to participate in the future – electricity, food safety.

'Institutional elements' are to ensure the harmonisation of legislation. These can be used to stabilise the bilateral path and to create legal certainty. However, the Federal Council also wishes to expand the bilateral approach in order to support Switzerland's heavily export-based economy, improve the security of the population and ensure its prosperity. The approach is to be developed further to include participation in additional areas of the EU single market, such as electricity and food safety. At the same time, the Federal Council is seeking to safeguard wage levels, avert an influx of immigrants into the social security system, uphold direct democratic rights and preserve sovereignty. It also wants to strengthen Switzerland as a location for research and innovation, a goal the cooperation agreements on research (Horizon Europe), education (Erasmus+) and culture are best suited to achieve.

All of these elements are part of the package. The concerns of both Switzerland and the EU were put on the table and negotiated at the same time. The various elements provided room for manoeuvre in the search for solutions. The Federal Council approved the negotiating mandate at the beginning of March 2024. Negotiations began on 18 March 2024 and were concluded at the end of the year after almost 200 negotiating sessions. The Federal Council noted that the objectives set out in the negotiation mandate had been achieved. The results pave the way for the next steps in implementing the package strategy. The parliamentary phase begins after the conclusion of the consultation process and the submission of the dispatch to the parliament.

The package elements:

1. New agreements: electricity, food safety, and health
2. Ensure participation in EU programmes: research, innovation, education, youth, sport, culture and other areas
3. Institutional elements: dynamic adoption of legislation, uniform interpretation of agreements, monitoring, dispute settlement
4. Provisions on state aid in the air and land transport agreements and the future electricity agreement
5. Free movement of persons: principles and exemptions with regard to immigration and wage protection
6. Stabilisation of the Swiss contribution: legally binding mechanism for future contributions
7. Political dialogue: means of steering the bilateral approach

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