Health agreement Switzerland-EU

At its meeting on 20 December 2024, the Federal Council took note with satisfaction of the material completion of the negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU). The negotiated health agreement expands the instruments available to Switzerland to ensure better protection for its population by strengthening its early warning and response capabilities in the field of epidemiological surveillance. This agreement ensures Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s health security mechanisms and in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Health risks do not respect borders. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that close cooperation and a coordinated, cross-border approach in Europe are essential. It is therefore in Switzerland’s interest to participate in the EU crisis management networks and mechanisms, as well as in the prevention of cross-border health threats, to better protect the health of the population.

Without a health agreement with the EU, Switzerland has no guaranteed access to the relevant mechanisms, meaning that cooperation is established on a case-by-case basis and is limited to crisis situations such as Covid-19.

Since 2008, the Federal Council has been aiming for closer collaboration with the EU in the field of health. Up to now, an agreement could not be concluded due to unresolved institutional issues. The current negotiated agreement will allow the participation of Switzerland in the following mechanisms:

Mechanisms for managing serious cross-border health threats (including an early warning and response system and a health security committee)
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC (which assists participating states in areas such as early detection and analysis of health threats related to communicable diseases)
The EU’s multiannual health programme (which co-finances health promotion projects, among others).

Recent developments: agreement on health as part of the package approach

The health agreement is part of the package approach defined by the Federal Council in February 2022. In accordance with the Federal Council’s mandate, Switzerland has negotiated an agreement that guarantees Switzerland full access to EU health security mechanisms and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This agreement increases the number of instruments available to Switzerland to better protect its population by strengthening its early warning and response capabilities in the field of epidemiological surveillance. Such cooperation is important not only in crisis situations, but also to prevent the emergence of serious health crises.

The agreement focuses on health security, although it provides for the possibility of future extension to other areas of health, if this is in the interests of both parties. In accordance with the Federal Council’s mandate, the agreement includes the institutional elements by analogy.

Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s multiannual programme (currently EU4Health) is governed by a protocol to the Programme Agreement between Switzerland and the EU. Switzerland will only participate in the part of the health programme that is linked to the scope of the health agreement, namely the area of “crisis preparedness”.

Information on current developments in bilateral relations between Switzerland and the EU and on the package approach is available on the website of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs:

www.eda.admin.ch