Switzerland and the European Union: neither member nor isolated
Why Switzerland is not in the EU, what the bilateral agreements are, and why it is still in Schengen: Switzerland–EU relations explained.
Switzerland is a member of neither the European Union nor the European Economic Area (EEA), which it rejected by popular vote in 1992. Yet it is closely tied to the EU, its main economic partner — but by a path of its own.
The bilateral path
Rather than joining, Switzerland has negotiated a series of bilateral agreements with the EU, sector by sector: free movement of people, trade, transport, research… This web of agreements gives it broad access to the European market while keeping its sovereignty over the rest — a balance regularly renegotiated.
In Schengen, but not the euro
An often surprising result: Switzerland is part of the Schengen area (no passport at the European border) without being in the EU, but it keeps the franc and is not in the eurozone. Relations with Brussels, notably the institutional framework of these agreements, remain a major and contested political topic.
Frequently asked questions
Is Switzerland part of the European Union?
No. It rejected the EEA in 1992 and cooperates with the EU through sectoral bilateral agreements.
Is Switzerland in the Schengen area?
Yes, even though it is not in the EU. It does, however, keep the Swiss franc and is not in the eurozone.
Related reading
- Swiss neutrality: where it comes from and what it means
Armed neutrality since 1815, neither NATO nor EU, but a UN member: what Swiss neutrality really is, and why it is debated today.
- The Swiss political system: Federal Council, Parliament, cantons
A seven-member government, a two-chamber Parliament, 26 cantons and direct democracy: how the Swiss political system really works.