Minister for Trade (): The sixth round of
negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with
Switzerland took place in Switzerland between 3 and 10 March
2025.
Economic growth is our first mission in government and FTAs have
an important role to play in achieving this. We are seeking an
enhanced FTA with Switzerland that guarantees market access for
UK services suppliers, facilitates the seamless flow of data and
ideas between two world-leading services powerhouses and provides
long-term certainty on UK business travel to Switzerland. An
enhanced FTA will contribute to growth and prosperity across the
UK and build on our existing trading relationship with
Switzerland. This currently supports 130,000 services jobs and
more than £17 billion in services exports, including over £700m
from Scotland and the North West.
Good progress was made in all negotiation sessions, including but
not limited to digital trade, financial services, goods market
access and dispute settlement. Productive discussions were held
in relation to intellectual property, with further sessions
scheduled later in the spring. Negotiators also provisionally
closed two additional chapters.
Services, investment and digital
The UK government's focus continues to be on agreeing ambitious
outcomes in services, investment and digital trade which are not
covered in the existing UK-Switzerland FTA. Good progress was
made in financial services in particular, with both sides
focussed on agreeing the most comprehensive chapter either
country has signed.
On digital trade, provisions on data, source code and
cryptography were discussed, with the UK continuing to seek
ambitious outcomes.
Goods
Progress continued in talks around trade in goods, with
discussions taking place on market access, focusing on securing
outcomes that are commercially meaningful for UK exporters. 99%
of UK exports to Switzerland by value are already tariff free,
with the bulk of remaining Swiss tariffs in the highly protected
agriculture sector.
On customs and trade facilitation, the UK and Switzerland
provisionally agreed a chapter on transparent, predictable, and
efficient customs procedures that help facilitate trade at the
border. It includes commitments on the release of perishable
goods that go further than Switzerland has agreed before in a
trade agreement, and are in line with the UK's best precedents.
Both sides also agreed measures that promote the simplification
of customs procedures and reduce administrative burdens for
traders including through digitisation and automation.
Good progress was also made on rules of origin, with commitments
agreed to make it easier for UK firms to trade with Switzerland,
whilst locking in our strong pre-existing rules of origin
arrangements.
Transparency
Both sides reached agreement on a chapter that supports a
transparent, stable and predictable environment for business.
This includes commitments to promote transparency in government
decision making by ensuring regulations are accessible and
encouraging public consultations when designing regulations.
Next steps
Round 7 of negotiations is expected to take place in the UK in
summer 2025. The government will continue to work towards
delivering outcomes in the FTA that secure economic growth for
the UK and will update Parliament on the progress of discussions
with Switzerland as they continue to develop.
The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns
with the UK's national interests, upholding our high standards
across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National
Health Service.
