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Round 7 of the negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland

25 June 2025

Proposing MP
Douglas Alexander Lab Co-op
Lothian East
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department for Business and Trade
View on Parliament.uk -->

At a Glance

Issue Summary

The statement discusses the seventh round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the UK and Switzerland.

Action Requested

The government is committed to securing outcomes in an enhanced FTA that boost economic growth for the UK. Round 8 of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Switzerland in Autumn 2025, and Ministers will continue to update Parliament on progress.

Key Facts

  • The seventh round of negotiations took place between 5 and 13 June 2025.
  • Switzerland is the UK’s 10th biggest trading partner with a trade relationship worth over £45 billion in 2024, including services exports of more than £18 billion.
  • The UK-Swiss trading relationship supported 130,000 services jobs across the UK in 2020.
  • Services and investment discussions made progress on market access, cross-border trade in services, financial services, and mobility for businesspersons.
  • Progress was made on Intellectual Property protections including Geographical Indications (GIs).
  • Goods Market Access saw provisional agreement on Rules of Origin to facilitate use of imported materials by UK businesses exporting to Switzerland.
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