Against “Switzerland’s deal with the EU is a form of capitulation, forcing us to cede control to Brussels in areas like trade, overland/air transport, energy, food, health, finance, immigration, and education. If we fail to toe the EU line, Brussels will punish us. And the European Court of Justice will have the final say. There is no limit to EU bureaucracy. We will be subject to thousands of rules and regulations virtually overnight, with 150 bureaucrats currently in the process of rewriting our constitution and laws. And we will have to pay billions for the privilege. The EU is already broken. High inflation, swingeing job cuts, and a mountain of debt are crippling its citizens as well as its businesses. Adapting to the EU would be a race to the bottom. We would also have to give up direct democracy as we know it. We don’t want this. But there is another way. Switzerland plays a valuable international role on account of its innovation, stability and neutrality. Free trade agreements have helped to power our economy for decades. We currently have 33 such deals – many more than the EU. Some of our latest partners include Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Kosovo, and India. Talks to strike deals with Japan, China, the US, and the Mercosur bloc are currently ongoing. None of these countries want to impose their own laws on Switzerland. We must reject the EU diktat. The global winds are favourable for Switzerland. All we need to do is unfurl the sails.” “The global winds are favourable for Switzerland. All we need to do is unfurl the sails.” “Good relations with the EU are not only important from an economic perspective.” For “Having good, tolerant neighbours makes life so much easier. Mow the lawn late on a balmy summer’s evening? Borrow next door’s parking space? No drama, no problem. Nice neighbours are worth their weight in gold. They are the glue that binds us. It is no coincidence that property prices in happy neighbourhoods tend to be a little higher. Roughly the same principle applies to Switzerland and its European neighbours. Good relations with the European Union are not only important from an economic perspective. They also make sense from a societal point of view. We, too, can enjoy social, practical and security benefits but still be true to ourselves, our identity and our distinctly Swiss rules, customs and laws. The bilateral agreements have formed the basis of our relations with the EU for the past 25 years. It is time to strengthen and expand them to include much-needed provisions on things like electricity supplies and conflict resolution. Having clear rules to govern the Swiss-EU relationship does not mean that we have to do everything by the EU book. Switzerland will maintain its identity and independence, regardless of Bilaterals III.” Simon Michel at the Ypsomed company headquarters in Burgdorf. Michel is the CEO of Ypsomed Holding as well as FDP National Councillor for the canton of Solothurn. Photo: Keystone Magdalena Martullo-Blocher – businesswoman, Grisons National Councillor and SVP vice-president – carries out a practical demonstration during the 2025 EMS Group annual media conference. Photo: Keystone Swiss Review / April 2025 / No.2 7
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