​​Bilaterals III: Clear approval in the consultation process 

​​On 31 October 2025, the consultation process on the package of Bilateral Agreements between the European Union and Switzerland (Bilaterals III) was officially concluded. On December 5^th, the Federal Council took stock of the situation and presented its initial findings. economiesuisse takes note of the results of the consultation and welcomes the Federal Council's intention to submit the dispatch on the new agreement to Parliament already in the coming spring. This is an important step towards stabilising and further developing relations between Switzerland and the European Union. 

​Strong support for Bilateral Agreements III 

​The results of the consultation show broad support in Swiss politics, business, academia and civil society: overall, a clear majority of all 318 comments received were positive. Apart from the Swiss Peoples Party (SVP), the Bilateral Agreements III are supported by all the major political parties. It is particularly encouraging that a clear majority of the cantons also support the new package of agreements. This broad support underlines the relevance of the Bilaterals III for Switzerland and shows that there is a solid foundation for the further development of bilateral cooperation with the EU. 

​Business-friendly implementation is key 

​economiesuisse has clearly spoken out in favour of the package of agreements negotiated with the EU in the consultation process. For the Bilaterals III to be successful, it is crucial that its implementation in Swiss legislation is efficient, streamlined and business friendly. This is the only way to ensure that Swiss companies remain competitive and that administrative burdens are avoided as far as possible. In the context of implementing the electricity agreement, for example, it is essential that the complexity of existing energy and electricity supply legislation is reduced rather than increased. This specifically applies to the design of regulated basic supply.  

​economiesuisse welcomes the fact that the Federal Council has taken on board the business community's demand for the early involvement of relevant political actors in the preparation of EU legal acts (decision shaping). 

​Flexible labour market must be preserved 

​The flexible Swiss labour market is a key success factor for our economy and must be preserved. Against this backdrop, economiesuisse clearly rejects the Federal Council's proposed measure 14 on protection against dismissal. This is irrelevant and has nothing to do with the Bilaterals III. The Federal Council is called upon to find a solution with the social partners. 

​For over 25 years, the bilateral approach has contributed to Switzerland's prosperity. Swiss companies and the population benefit significantly from close cooperation with the EU in key areas. There is therefore every reason to continue this course.