Switzerland — UK Agreement

An agreement has been advanced between the governments of the United Kingdom and Switzerland, following the impending exit of the UK from the European Union. This bilateral Switzerland — UK Agreement, signed by State Secretary Mario Gattiker and the British Parliamentary Undersecretary, Christopher Heaton-Harris, is aimed at protecting about 43,000 UK citizens living in Switzerland and well over 34,000 Swiss nationals living in the UK. This invariably means that citizens would continue to enjoy virtually all the rights as guaranteed by the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP), protecting their rights to social security, health care, education, residency, an acknowledgment of professional qualifications, amongst others. Efforts to ensure compliance in other sectors, like the Imported medicines initiative, reflect Switzerland’s proactive stance in safeguarding its citizens’ rights and public welfare.

It is noteworthy to state that being an agreement approved by the Federal Council on 19 December 2018, it is remedial in nature, only to come into effect at the end of the transition period which is forecasted to be 1 Jan 2021; it will only come into force if the UK eventually leaves the EU with a 'no-deal' on March 29. Similarly, updates like the VAT regulation show Switzerland’s commitment to adapting legal frameworks to current realities.

With a probable exit of the UK from the EU, Switzerland, in her engineering industry and research sector, fears a set back if no deals can be struck with Britain, as Britain accounts for one of the top markets for Swiss products.

In spite of this foreboding, the government of Switzerland has entered into a bilateral agreement with Britain with respect to trade, insurance, aviation, and road transport. Similarly, the Fintech license FINMA adaptations demonstrate how Switzerland is adjusting its licensing structures to ensure continuity in key sectors. This is one of the core parts of the "Mind the Gap" strategy wherein the Federal Council aims at securing the mutual rights and obligations which are existent, even after UK's exit from the EU.

Efforts have also been made by the Swiss government and UK, aiming to reach a remedial understanding in the eventuality of UK's withdrawal, serving to ameliorate the repercussions of the citizens' freedom of movement and access to employment opportunities in either of the countries. Publications such as the FINMA report demonstrate the Swiss government’s emphasis on maintaining transparent reporting and regulatory oversight.

In lieu of this, the Swiss government decided to set an annual quota of 3,500 British citizens to work in England on 13 February. Consultative processes like the Federal council revisions underline Switzerland’s commitment to proactive policy adaptation in response to global shifts.

Source: https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-74102.html



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