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Switzerland and EU mark formal end to negotiations

Switzerland - EU: negotiators initial package agreements in Bern
Switzerland - EU: negotiators initial package agreements in Bern Keystone-SDA

Negotiators from Switzerland and the European Union (EU), Patric Franzen and Richard Szostak, have initialled a series of agreements in Bern, marking the formal end of talks on a new Switzerland-EU deal.

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The move was confirmed by the Swiss government on Wednesday.

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Initialling means the lead negotiators sign off on the text of an agreement by adding their initials to each page. It’s a way of confirming that the document reflects the outcome of the talks, the government said in a statement.

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The Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive body, is expected to decide before the summer whether to approve the agreements and launch consultations. The full texts will be published, with the official signing likely to take place in the first quarter of 2026.

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