The Federal Council has taken the decision not to sign the InstA. The negotiations with the EU did not produce the outcomes Switzerland needed to sign the agreement.
The agreement on the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the EU has been in force since 1 June 2002 as an important part of the Bilateral Agreements I.
The UK’s withdrawal from the EU will have consequences for Switzerland’s relations with this country. Switzerland wants to maintain its close relationship with the UK beyond Brexit.
Internal security and migration challenges require international cooperation. Switzerland works closely with European states in the areas of justice, police, visas and asylum.
The EU and its 27 members are Switzerland’s most important partners. The relationship Switzerland-EU has developed by means of an ever-tighter net of sectoral agreements.
