Commons Sense

House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement

Update on UK-Switzerland enhanced Free Trade Agreement

21 March 2024 · Department for Business and Trade

Proposed by Greg Hands Con Chelsea and Fulham

Business & Trade

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

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At a glance

Key points

  • Update on UK-Switzerland enhanced Free Trade Agreement provided
  • Fourth round of negotiations made significant progress on SME chapter
  • Fifth round of hybrid negotiations scheduled for early summer 2024 in the UK

Issue summary

The statement provides an update on the fourth round of negotiations for an enhanced Free Trade Agreement between the UK and Switzerland, covering various economic sectors.

Action requested

The minister announces that text-based discussions have made significant progress, especially in closing the chapter on SMEs to facilitate easier market access. The fifth round of hybrid negotiations is scheduled for early summer 2024 in the UK.

Key facts

  • Negotiations took place in Bern, Switzerland from 4 to 8 March 2024.
  • UK-Swiss services trade was worth £27.9 billion in the 12 months to September 2023.
  • The chapter on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has been provisionally closed during this round of negotiations.
  • The fifth hybrid round is expected to take place in early summer 2024 in the UK.
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