A key objective of this year’s conference was to  bring perspectives from western European, non-European Union (EU) countries into the Swiss domestic debates on possible next steps after the abrupt end of the framework agreement in May 2021.

During the conference, three panel discussions looked at important elements of the debates in more detail. 

The first panel focused on the experience of countries belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA), with a particular interest in how and to which extent the EEA has brought opportunities for non-EU countries to shape the decision-making process at an early stage to accommodate specific domestic concerns.

In looking mainly at the case of Iceland, it was observed that the country’s participation in the EEA was positively viewed, with some profound societal impact and occasional difficult trade-offs.

In a second panel, participants looked at lessons that Switzerland could take away from Britain’s new relationship with the EU following Brexit.

Of all the different viewpoints that emerged, one found that formulating demands that challenge the EU’s foundations are doomed to fail. Another perspective relayed the challenge of finding a politically sustainable package that can cater to the current set of Swiss demands. Lastly, one believed that the EU could demonstrate more legal empathy and allow for more regulatory divergence.

During the final panel, participants considered the impact of the Swiss Federal Council’s decision to abandon the projected framework agreement and envisioned possible next steps.

A clear consensus emerged that there is a great and urgent need for the Federal Council’s leadership.

There was also the feeling that the former should rapidly articulate a clear roadmap that would restate the strong points of convergence between the EU and Switzerland, slightly redrawing the scope of the framework agreement to address standing points of contentions at the Swiss domestic level.

Discover more about the event: La Suisse et l’Union Européene