The Swiss Federal Council adopted a negotiating mandate for Switzerland’s selective participation in the EU’s solidarity mechanism under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Parliament had previously approved the principle of participation, which now requires a formal arrangement with the EU to define how cooperation will work. Unlike EU member states, Switzerland will not be obliged to participate every year; it will decide annually whether to contribute and in what form.
The planned arrangement with the EU will regulate the practical aspects of Switzerland’s participation without creating a permanent obligation. The Federal Council has approved the key parameters of this arrangement, subject to approval by the parliamentary foreign affairs committees, and the final agreement will be submitted to the Federal Assembly for approval.