Summary: The new cooperation agreements in health and food safety provide Switzerland with access to EU early warning systems (EWRS), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Bilateral trade in agricultural products and foodstuffs amounts to over 16 billion francs annually. Critics see an encroachment on national health policy.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how important access to European health networks is. Switzerland had to rely on informal channels for EU-wide coordination during 2020-2022. Switzerland has been seeking a health agreement with the EU since 2008 [6].
The new health agreement covers three core areas [6][10]:
| Area | Content |
|---|---|
| EU crisis mechanisms | Inclusion in mechanisms for managing serious cross-border health threats, including the Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) and the Health Security Committee [6][10] |
| ECDC participation | Cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control -- early detection and analysis of health threats [6][10] |
| EU health programmes | Limited participation in the EU4Health programme (2021-2027) in the area of crisis preparedness [9] |
The FOPH clarifies which areas are not within scope [9]:
The Federal Council emphasises that law adoption in the health sector is very limited [7]:
"In the cooperation agreement in the area of health, a very limited adoption of EU legal acts is envisaged, specifically insofar as this is necessary to ensure Swiss participation in the EU health platforms." [7]
The new food safety agreement creates a common food safety area "from farm to fork" [11]:
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trade volume | Over 16 billion francs annually (agricultural products and foodstuffs CH-EU) [11] |
| RASFF access | Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed [11] |
| EFSA access | European Food Safety Authority and EU committees [11] |
| Simplified border controls | Better market access for Swiss food producers [11] |
Important Swiss particularities remain protected [11]:
The Federal Council highlights that Switzerland already today regulates largely in line with the EU in the food sector [7]:
"In the food sector, Switzerland has autonomously aligned its technical regulations with those of the EU. This facilitates, among other things, the exchange of goods and avoids a gap in the respective level of protection." [7]
Critics argue [2]:
The SVP sees the health and food safety agreements as another area in which Switzerland is surrendering regulatory independence [2].
[2] UNSER RECHT (2026). Bilaterale III -- um was geht es? Information platform. [Open Access]
[6] EDA (2026). Gesundheit -- Neue Abkommen. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[7] Bundesrat (2024). Antwort auf Interpellation 24.3612: Tragweite der dynamischen Rechtsübernahme. Curia Vista. [Open Access]
[8] Bundesrat (2025). Antwort auf Interpellation 25.7954: Gesundheitsabkommen -- Immunität EU-Funktionäre. Curia Vista. [Open Access]
[9] BAG (2026). Gesundheitsabkommen Schweiz-EU. Federal Office of Public Health. [Open Access]
[10] EDA (2026). Faktenblatt Gesundheit. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[11] EDA (2026). Lebensmittelsicherheit -- Neue Abkommen. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
Last updated: March 2026