Satisfaction with the bilateral agreements remains high among Swiss voters.

09.05.2021 | Urs Bieri, GFS Bern

Satisfaction with the bilateral agreements among Swiss voters has been high for years.  This is also true in 2021. The bilateral agreements thus form a broadly accepted basis for relations with the European Union, which one does not want to fall behind. On behalf of Interpharma, gfs.bern studied the following question, among others: If an institutional agreement between Switzerland and the EU were to be put to the vote, would you definitely be in favour, rather in favour, rather against or definitely against?

Standort Schweiz

On this basis, the institutional framework agreements also find a majority, albeit not an enthusiastic one.

On behalf of Interpharma, gfs.bern surveyed 2005 Swiss voters between 8.3. and 21.4. 2021 on questions concerning the relationship between Switzerland and Europe. The survey was conducted before the last round of negotiations with the EU.

Currently, criticism is coming increasingly from the right-wing conservative side, while the discussion on wage protection is currently less popular. The support, on the other hand, arises from the fear of economic disadvantages and the desire to offer the economy certainty of expectations.

Ultimately, however, the further discussion will be decisive, especially during a referendum campaign – and this has not yet been conclusively conducted.

The question on the institutional framework agreement was raised as follows:

“One of these agreements currently under discussion is the so-called Switzerland-EU institutional agreement. This agreement is intended to place the five existing market access agreements and all future agreements between Switzerland and the EU under a new contractual umbrella. This would make it possible to adapt the existing agreements more efficiently and quickly to new circumstances and to negotiate new partial agreements more easily. The agreement is controversial in Switzerland.

If such an institutional agreement between Switzerland and the EU were to be put to the vote, would you definitely be in favour, rather in favour, rather against or definitely against?”

You can find more information in the short report (in German).


If you have any questions concerning this post, please contact our expert for background information, insights and the methods and models used.

Urs Bieri

Urs Bieri

Co-director