Germany and France say they are ready to include Switzerland in “Made in Europe”, the industrial policy the European Union is currently discussing. But the opening comes with strict conditions, and at this stage it is a joint position of Berlin and Paris, not an EU decision. This was reported by the Keystone-SDA news agency, picked up by SWI swissinfo.ch.

A Franco-German position paper

The information comes from a Franco-German position paper published on Thursday, a copy of which Keystone-SDA was able to see. The French news agency AFP was the first to report it. According to the text, Switzerland would be treated on an equal footing with the countries of the European Economic Area and with the United Kingdom.

The source does not provide a link to the document itself; its exact content is therefore known only through what the agency reports. It is also worth underlining who the text comes from: it expresses the position of two member states. It commits neither the European Union as a whole nor its institutions.

What “Made in Europe” covers

According to the dispatch, the term “Made in Europe” refers to a European preference in public procurement, currently under discussion within the EU. The scheme has therefore not been finalised. The source specifies neither its timetable nor the sectors concerned. Nor does it say whether this preference would extend to state aid.

The debate focuses in particular on the fate of European states that are not EU members, such as Switzerland: should they be included in this preference or not? The question remains open, and the Franco-German proposal is a stance taken in this debate, not its outcome.

A formal association required

A diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that Switzerland’s participation would be subject to conditions and would require a formal association. The dispatch does not detail these conditions. Nor does it indicate what form this association would take, or whether it would go through the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU or through another instrument.

The same diplomat cautions that not all German political parties have approved the proposal to include Switzerland. Even on Berlin’s side, the support displayed in the document is therefore not unanimous.

An issue closely watched by Swiss industry

The Swiss government has been lobbying its European neighbours on this issue for months, swissinfo.ch points out. For Swiss industrial companies that bid in public tenders in the EU, the stake is to be treated as European suppliers rather than as competitors from third countries. The source does not, however, quantify the amounts or the number of companies concerned.

The Franco-German document is a favourable signal for Switzerland, but it remains a signal. The definition of the European preference, the circle of countries admitted and the conditions of association are still to be negotiated at EU level.

Sources

  • SWI swissinfo.ch: “Berlin and Paris open ‘Made in Europe’ door to Switzerland”