Stalled progress of Switzerland's historic EU agreement: An update

The European Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen, jetted off to Bern to kick off the celebrations for the newly inked agreements with Switzerland's then president, Viola Amherd.

"This agreement between the EU and Switzerland is groundbreaking," von der Leyen proclaimed. "We're setting sail for a lengthy partnership.

For people in Switzerland and the EU, this agreement offers a fantastic foundation for many great years ahead... we're as close as humanly possible," she added.

Amherd hailed the deal as a "milestone for the stabilization and further development" of relations between the two parties.

"This is in the best interests of Switzerland's and the EU's population, our economies, employees, consumers, students, and researchers," she stated.

In the months that followed, progress has been modest on both sides in regards to implementing the new deal.

What's the holdup?

After the initial fuss surrounding the signing had subsided, Bern and Brussels rolled up their sleeves to figure out how to implement the new treaties in accordance with their respective internal political systems.

On the Brussels' end, the agreements may need ratification by EU authorities before they come into effect. It remains unclear, however, which EU institutions are in charge of the ratification process.

What is clear is that Brussels can only conclude international agreements in select areas. If the treaties exceed these areas, as those with Switzerland seem to, the approval of the national parliaments of the EU member states is required.

Gathering the parliaments of 27 countries to take action could take some time.

What's the delay on the Swiss side?

Before going into effect, any new law (or amendment to an existing law) must undergo a compulsory referendum.

In the case of the EU package (and given the opposition from various groups - read more about this below), the government has opted to 'slice' the package into separate parts.

Each part could then be put to a referendum separately, in the hope of securing public approval for each narrow set of issues rather than an entire package.

However, this strategy may not be successful either.

That's because in February 2025, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council asserted that "the constitutional requirements for a mandatory referendum are not met for any of the new agreements," which means the treaties can proceed without further delay.

The same applies to the extension of existing bilateral agreements with Brussels.

The reason is that the agreements "do not provide for Switzerland's accession to a 'supranational community'" - like the EU, the committee noted.

And according to the Federal Justice Office, "EU treaties cannot be subject to a mandatory referendum."

Opposition could still prove influential

Even if the referendum doesn't happen (and EU parliaments approve the deal), it doesn't necessarily mean a smooth road ahead.

The right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) has threatened that the agreement would "signal Switzerland's complete surrender to the EU," due to the requirement to adopt European laws and relinquish sovereignty in the process.

The party has already pledged to launch a popular initiative against the EU deal if the government would bring it into effect.

READ ALSO: How will Switzerland profit from its pact with the European Union?**

Enrichment Data:

Implementation: The implementation of the new EU-Switzerland agreements appears to be on track, with Swiss entities already eligible to participate in EU research programs since January 2025. The agreements, finalized in December 2024, modernize existing arrangements and broaden cooperation across sectors such as transport, trade, and labor mobility.

Regarding opposition in Switzerland, specific details about domestic resistance are not provided in the search results. However, the successful completion of negotiations in December 2024 indicates alignment between governments, with BusinessEurope emphasizing the need for swift implementation to provide clarity for businesses. The lack of reported opposition in the available sources implies ongoing compliance with the negotiated terms, though ratification processes and domestic debates may still be occurring behind closed doors.

Current status: The agreements have been provisionally applicable since January 2025 (with signing by November 2025 possible), with Swiss entities participating in EU research programs already. Both parties seem committed to implementing the updated terms across the air/land transport, agricultural trade, and labor mobility frameworks. No significant opposition is indicated in the provided documents.

Key details:- Transitional measures: Swiss entities can apply for EU research funding as of January 2025.- Provisional application: Retroactively applied from January 2025 if signed by November 2025.- Scope: The updated agreements realign five existing agreements to align with current EU legislation, including dispute resolution mechanisms.

The ratification process for the new EU-Switzerland agreements may need to be completed by EU authorities before they become effective.
In Switzerland, any new law must undergo a compulsory referendum before it can be implemented, and the EU package has been 'sliced' into separate parts to avoid a referendum for each narrow set of issues.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council in Switzerland asserted in February 2025 that the constitutional requirements for a mandatory referendum are not met for any of the new agreements.
Despite the lack of a mandatory referendum, the right-wing Swiss People's Party has threatened to launch a popular initiative against the EU deal if the government proceeds with it, citing concerns about surrendering sovereignty to the EU.