EU may grant Switzerland access to Made in Europe procurement programme

The European Union’s Made in Europe initiative, aimed at directing public procurement toward EU-based companies, includes a clause that allows exceptions for tightly-linked third countries. Germany and France are said to be supporting a special deal that would let Switzerland participate as if it were an EEA member, avoiding a costly exclusion for Swiss firms. About half of Switzerland’s exports, notably tech products valued at more than 38 billion Swiss francs, go to the EU, making the issue economically significant.

Swiss officials, headed by Helene Budliger-Artieda of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, have been lobbying in Berlin and Paris for this treatment. Swissmem praised the backing but cautioned that any requirement to adopt EU tariffs would pose a major hurdle, suggesting reciprocal treatment of EU firms in Swiss procurement as a compromise. The Swiss government has not issued an official comment, and President Guy Parmelin was in Bangkok when the news emerged.