Chapter 5 of the dispatch (pp. 1042-1052) contains the Federal Council's concluding overall assessment and its recommendation to Parliament to approve the package.
The Federal Council concludes that the negotiating mandate has been fully fulfilled and in parts exceeded. The package offers the most balanced ratio of benefit to policy space that Switzerland could achieve. External studies assess the package positively, and the consultation showed broad support. The Federal Council requests Parliament to approve all four federal decrees.
The Federal Council evaluates negotiation results against mandate objectives:
| Mandate objective | Result | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional solution | Dispute settlement with arbitration tribunal | Fulfilled |
| Free movement of persons | Safeguard clause included | Fulfilled |
| Wage protection | Accompanying measures maintained | Exceeded |
| State aid | Differentiated solution | Fulfilled |
| Programmes | Full retroactive association | Exceeded |
| Swiss contribution | CHF 350 m/year (below Norway) | Fulfilled |
| Electricity agreement | Universal service protected | Fulfilled |
| Hydropower | Concessions not affected | Exceeded |
| Health | ECDC/HERA access | Fulfilled |
The package's core objective is achieved: stabilisation and further development of the bilateral path. Specifically:
Several independent studies confirm positive impacts:
| Study | Institution | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| Economic impacts | BAK Economics | +CHF 4-7 bn GDP long-term |
| Trade effects | KOF ETH Zurich | Trade volume stabilisation |
| Labour market analysis | University of Bern | Positive employment effects |
| Research effects | SERI | Switzerland's return to the top group |
| Legal opinion | FOJ | Constitutional |
The consultation (summer 2025) revealed broad support:
The Federal Council emphasises that the package represents the best possible negotiation result:
Benefit:
Policy space:
The Federal Council requests Parliament to:
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mandate fulfilment | Fully fulfilled, in parts exceeded |
| External studies | All positive (BAK, KOF, Uni Bern) |
| Consultation | Broad support |
| Recommendation | Approval of all 4 federal decrees |
| Core objective | Stabilisation of bilateral path achieved |
| Policy space | Safeguard clause, wage protection, hydropower |