Switzerland and the European Union

Switzerland and the EU are tied together by a tight network of bilateral agreements. Some 20 main agreements are supplemented by more than 100 other agreements, protocols and exchanges of letters. In addition, Switzerland has adopted another instrument to mitigate the negative consequences of not being a member of the EU or the EEA, namely the policy of autonomous adaptation of Swiss law to EU law. This double strategy – the Swiss model of European integration – has proven largely successful. Many regard it as the Swiss Königsweg, the Swiss king’s way, although its usefulness has, time and again, been put into question. This book considers Switzerland’s policy towards the EU and the challenges that Switzerland currently faces in this area. In a broader context, it contributes to the discussion on EU relations with third countries and thus on the United Kingdom’s role in Europe post-Brexit. Matthias Oesch is professor at the University of Zurich. Previously, he worked as legal counsel in the Federal Department of Economic Affairs and as attorney-at-law in Zurich.