Bilateral treaties important for an open Switzerland
On November 21, high-ranking representatives from science and business discussed the importance of international networking and the bilateral agreements with the European Union (EU). They agreed that a departure from the bilateral path would be detrimental to Switzerland as a location for business and research.
Google Switzerland, as well as the life science SME InSphero AG in Schlieren, emphasized the importance of outstanding and internationally networked universities and the possibility of recruiting specialists.
Today, Switzerland is economically, politically and culturally interconnected around the globe, but especially in Europe. Numerous domestic companies drive innovation and create secure jobs because they benefit from this openness. The bilateral agreements with the EU are a central part of this fabric.
They are not only crucial for the export industry, but also for Switzerland as a research location. Thanks to these agreements, Switzerland is connected to the European research network, which is unique in the world. "However," emphasizes the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, "this connection has been under pressure since the adoption of the immigration initiative in February 2014."
Swiss relations
Representatives from science and business discussed the significance of these agreements for business and research today at the evening event "Economic Openness - Switzerland quo vadis?" organized by the Zurich Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Interpharma, swissuniversities and stark+vernetzt (economiesuisse).
They all stressed the importance of the bilateral agreements with the EU: Novartis country president André Wyss explained in his opening speech why the Swiss pharmaceutical industry, which makes more than half of its foreign sales in Europe, is dependent on open relations with the EU: "Losing unbureaucratic access to the European market and to European specialists would be extremely painful for all of us, also because the economy is also under pressure in other areas."
Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Roche Board of Directors, emphasized that the bilateral agreements give Switzerland "the nickel and the dime: Namely, both a solid basis for good trade relations with the 28 EU states and political independence from the EU. Prof. Dr. Michael O. Hengartner, Rector of the University of Zurich, underlined the importance of research cooperation with the EU for the Swiss university landscape.
Significant for science
Prof. Dr. Michael O. Hengartner: "In order to continue to play in the Champions League of research, we need connections to European research programs." Patrick Warnking, Country Director of Google Switzerland, and Jan Lichtenberg, co-founder and CEO of the life science SME InSphero AG in Schlieren, emphasized the importance of outstanding and internationally networked universities as well as the possibility of recruiting specialists also abroad for their companies.
The director of the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Regine Sauter, illustrated how Zurich exemplifies the internationality of the Swiss economy: "This openness is an important factor in the attractiveness of Zurich as a business location."
Business and academia will continue to be motivated to communicate to Swiss citizens the value and importance of open trade relations for Switzerland.
