Switzerland and the EU: close, but not too close

The European Union assumed that Switzerland would one day join the club and allowed it to pursue a bilateral path. But, if anything, the Alpine country in the heart of Europe is moving further and further away. It has no intention of joining.

The EU considers Switzerland a troublesome country. In 1992 it said no to the European Economic Area. In 2021 it unilaterally broke off negotiations on a framework agreement with the EU. Switzerland always says “Yes, gladly!” to economic cooperation, but “No, thanks!” to more political integration or membership. This has earned it a reputation in Brussels as a cherry-picker.

Some people say Switzerland’s wealth and stability are part of the reason for its reluctance to jump on the EU bandwagon. But that’s not the whole story.