Update following round 6 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

Skip to main content

UK Parliament

Business

Written questions, answers and statements

Find written statements

HCWS540

Update following round 6 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

Statement made on 24 March 2025

Statement UIN HCWS540

Statement made by

Mr Douglas Alexander

Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security

Labour

Lothian East

Commons

Statement

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.

Statement from

Department for Business and Trade

Linked statements

This statement has also been made in the House of Lords

Department for Business and Trade

Update following round 6 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Legislation)

Labour, Life peer

Statement made 24 March 2025

HLWS538

Lords