Source: Dispatch 26.023, Overview (pp. 4--6)
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The Switzerland-EU package (Bilateral III) stabilises the proven bilateral path with Switzerland's most important trading partner. In the face of growing global instability, regulated relations with the EU are a strategic necessity. The targeted development of these relations in selected areas safeguards and strengthens Switzerland's central interests.
The EU, accounting for approximately 60 per cent of trade in goods, is by far Switzerland's most important trading partner. External studies commissioned by the Federal Council show that the Switzerland-EU package would have an overall positive impact on the Swiss economy. This conclusion is also shared by a large majority of consultation participants.
The world is becoming more unstable and unpredictable. Global developments -- great power competition, erosion of international law, geopolitical fragmentation, climate change, developments in information technology and the energy sector -- have direct implications for Switzerland. Regulated relations with the immediate neighbourhood are a strategic necessity for security, prosperity and independence.
The Switzerland-EU package (Bilateral III) is an expression of the continuity of the tailor-made relations between Switzerland and the EU. It consists of two parts:
The agreements safeguard the constitutional competences of the cantons, the Federal Assembly, the Federal Council, the courts and the people. The rights of initiative and referendum guaranteed by the Federal Constitution (Art. 136(2) FC) are fully ensured. A popular initiative against the adoption of relevant EU law remains possible; likewise, a referendum may be launched when law is adopted.
| Aspect | Value |
|---|---|
| Business number | 26.023 |
| Date | 13 March 2026 |
| Dispatch volume | 1,086 pages |
| Stabilisation component | 5 updated + 2 new internal market agreements |
| Development component | 3 new agreements (electricity, food safety, health) |
| Cooperations | Research/education, space |
| Federal decrees | 4 federal decrees subject to referendum |
| Negotiating mandate fulfilled | Yes, partially exceeded |
[1] Dispatch 26.023 on the Switzerland-EU package (Bilateral III), 13 March 2026