politics
Swiss upper house backs EU package while tightening immigration rules
The Swiss Council of States has broadly backed the new bilateral package with the European Union while tightening provisions on referendums and immigration. This is a significant development in Switzerland’s relationship with the EU and merits a clear explainer on the next political steps.
After roughly 24 hours of debate, the Council of States has given Bilaterals III a broad political endorsement, while adding conditions that could reshape the next stage of the deal. Switzerland’s upper house accepted most of the package designed to stabilise the country’s access to the European Union’s single market. It also demanded a mandatory referendum and adopted tougher immigration provisions than those supported by the Federal Council.
The decision keeps Switzerland’s long-running bilateral strategy on track. Bern is seeking clearer arrangements for updating market-access agreements, resolving disputes and supervising state aid after the collapse of an earlier institutional framework agreement in 2021. The new package addresses those concerns while preserving Switzerland’s position outside the EU and the European Economic Area.
The vote does not complete the parliamentary process. The National Council, Parliament’s larger chamber, will examine the package during the winter session. The electricity agreement, one of the most consequential parts of the negotiations, was left out of this week’s proceedings. The Council of States is due to begin examining it in December.
That timetable leaves room for further amendments. It also ensures that the most politically sensitive issues, including immigration, referendum procedure and the financial contribution to European cohesion, will remain central to the national debate.
Raise the referendum hurdle
The Council of States wants voters and the cantons to decide the final agreement through a mandatory referendum. That position directly challenges the Federal Council’s preference for an optional referendum, which would require only a majority of votes cast across Switzerland.
Under the upper house proposal, Bilaterals III would need two approvals: a majority of the Swiss electorate and a majority of the cantons. The chamber backed both legislation containing that requirement and a separate constitutional amendment. The double-majority rule reflects the country’s federal structure and gives smaller cantons a decisive role in the outcome.
The referendum question matters because the package reaches well beyond a single technical agreement. It would govern Switzerland’s future relationship with the EU across market access, migration, electricity, state aid and cohesion funding. A mandatory vote would give the agreement a clear democratic test, while also creating a higher hurdle for ratification.
The National Council could modify the arrangement before the process ends. Parliament must also reconcile the constitutional amendment with the implementing legislation. If both chambers ultimately agree, the Federal Council would then have to prepare the package for a nationwide campaign and vote. The timing will depend on the remaining parliamentary debates and any referendum procedures that follow.