Further bilateral agreements and cooperation
Switzerland's European policy goals remain the securing and further development of extensive access to the EU internal market as well as cooperation with the EU in selected areas of interest while maintaining the greatest possible political autonomy.
Access to the EU's internal market is made possible by five agreements of the Bilateral Agreements I of 1999. The Bilateral Agreements II concerned further economic interests, but extended cooperation to important political areas such as internal security, asylum and the environment. But even after the Bilateral Agreements II came into force in 2004, the EU and Switzerland expanded their cooperation, for example in corporate taxation or police cooperation.
Documents
For more on this see
Europol
The agreement improves cooperation between police authorities in the prevention and fight against serious and organised international crime and terrorism.
Eurojust
The agreement between Switzerland and Eurojust expands international cooperation for Swiss criminal authorities in the fight against serious cross-border crime.
Cooperation between competition authorities
The agreement on cooperation aims to ensure effective enforcement of competition rules in cross-border matters.
Satellite navigation – Galileo and EGNOS
The satellite navigation agreement authorises Switzerland to take part in the European Union (EU) programmes Galileo and EGNOS.
European Asylum Support Office (EASO) / European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
Switzerland participates in the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), which has now been replaced by the EU Asylum Agency (EUAA). As well as demonstrating solidarity, Switzerland's participation helps to ensure that asylum procedures in Europe are fairer and more efficient.
Corporate taxation
Switzerland is actively involved in efforts to develop international standards for corporate taxation within the OECD. Switzerland reached a mutual understanding with the EU on certain Swiss corporate tax regimes.
Chemical safety / REACH
Exchange of knowledge and cooperation on chemical safety between Switzerland and the EU.
Cooperation in the field of drugs and drug addiction
The exchange with the European Union Drugs Agency is in Switzerland's interests and helps Switzerland monitor developments in the area of drugs and addiction.
Emissions trading
Emissions trading reduces greenhouse gases where it is most cost effective. Switzerland and the EU have linked their trading systems in order to create a larger market.
Police cooperation (Prüm decisions)
The Prüm Convention aims to improve cross-border police cooperation between the member states of the European Union (EU).
Eurodac – access for law enforcement authorities
Subject to certain conditions, the Swiss law enforcement authorities will have access to the Eurodac database, which contains the fingerprints of anyone claiming asylum in a Dublin State or caught entering the country irregularly.
Contact
State Secretariat STS-FDFA
Federal Palace East
3003 Bern