Chapter 2.14 of the dispatch (pp. 987-994) describes the establishment of a regular high-level political dialogue between Switzerland and the EU. It is a Joint Declaration - legally non-binding but politically significant.
Switzerland and the EU agree on an institutionalised political dialogue at ministerial level. This dialogue is intended to nurture the overall Switzerland-EU relationship beyond the bilateral agreements. It is led by the head of the FDFA (Swiss side) and an EU Commissioner (EU side). Meetings take place annually, alternating between Switzerland and Brussels.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Joint Declaration |
| Legally binding | No (political statement of intent) |
| Subject to referendum | No |
| Costs | No additional costs |
The high-level dialogue covers all aspects of the bilateral relationship:
Treated separately: foreign and security policy topics - these are handled through existing channels (CFSP dialogue).
Although legally non-binding, the dialogue serves an important function:
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal form | Joint Declaration (non-binding) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First meeting | 3 months after entry into force |
| Chair CH | Head of the FDFA |
| Chair EU | EU Commissioner |
| Location | Alternating CH/Brussels |
| Costs | No additional costs |
| Foreign/security policy | Treated separately |