Trade and direct investments

Switzerland and Europe share close economic ties. As the destination for 62 % of Swiss exports and with a share of 79.5 % of Swiss imports, the EU is by far Switzerland’s most important trading partner. For its part, Switzerland is the EU’s third-largest customer (7 % of all exports) after the US and Russia, and the sixth-largest supplier of goods (5 % of all imports). 39.4 % of Swiss direct investments are made in the EU. Some 583,000 EU nationals currently work in Switzerland, making up 19 % of the workforce. Conversely, 415,000 Swiss live in EU countries.

With the exception of agricultural and food products, there are no restrictions on trade between Switzerland and the members of the EU. Goods with a certificate of origin from one of the 31 member states of the EU and EFTA (Switzerland belongs to the latter, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) can circulate freely without quotas and customs barriers. In addition to the free exchange of goods with the EU, there is also a strongly liberalized labour market (such as for specialists, researchers and managers), and a somewhat liberalized trade of services.