Summary: On 2 March 2026, Switzerland and the EU signed the most comprehensive treaty package since the beginning of the bilateral path in Bern. The "Bilateral Agreements III" comprise 18 agreements -- six updated single market agreements, new sectoral arrangements, and for the first time institutional mechanisms such as dynamic adoption of law and a parity-based arbitration tribunal.
The Bilateral Agreements III are the result of a multi-year negotiation process that was relaunched after the failure of the Institutional Framework Agreement (InstA) in May 2021. Following exploratory talks (2022-2023) and formal negotiations (2024), the package was substantively concluded in December 2024 and signed on 2 March 2026 by Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen [1][2].
Unlike the failed InstA, the Bilateral Agreements III pursue a vertical approach: the institutional mechanisms (adoption of law, dispute resolution, oversight) are not regulated in a separate framework agreement but are integrated directly into each sectoral agreement [1].
The treaty package is divided into four areas:
Six existing agreements from the Bilateral Agreements I are updated and equipped with the new institutional elements [1][3]:
-> More on this: Updated Single Market Agreements
New arrangements extend bilateral cooperation to previously uncovered areas [1][3]:
-> More on this: New Agreements
For the first time, the bilateral agreements receive a coherent institutional foundation [5]:
-> More on this: Dynamic Adoption of Law | Dispute Resolution
-> More on this: Cohesion Contribution | Wage Protection
A key feature of the Bilateral Agreements III is the package approach: the 18 agreements form an indivisible whole. They were negotiated as a complete package, signed simultaneously and must be ratified as a whole. This approach differs from both the guillotine clause of the Bilateral Agreements I (which links only the seven agreements from 1999) and the independent agreements of the Bilateral Agreements II [1].
-> More on this: The Package Approach
The Bilateral Agreements III are the response to the institutional gap and the erosion of the existing agreements that has been progressing since the InstA termination in May 2021. A comparison of the three treaty packages shows the structural innovations.
The package still needs to pass through the parliamentary process. As it is subject to the optional referendum, a popular vote is likely -- it is expected for 2027 or 2028 [13][14].
-> More on this: Ratification Process
[1] FDFA (2026). Switzerland-EU Package (Bilateral III). Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[2] FDFA (2026). Switzerland-EU package signed. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[3] GTAI (2026). Agreements of the Switzerland-EU package signed. Germany Trade & Invest. [Open Access]
[5] FDFA (2026). Fact sheet: Institutional elements. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[13] FDFA (2025). Consultation results. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. [Open Access]
[14] Blick (2026). EU treaties probably won't go to vote until 2028. Blick. [Open Access] Note: Media source.
Last updated: March 2026