EU-Switzerland air transport agreement

KEY POINTS

Economic rules

The agreement between the EU and Switzerland grants the following rights:

• within the scope of civil aviation, the right of establishment by EU companies in Switzerland, and by Swiss companies in the EU;
• unlimited rights for Swiss carriers to fly between any point in Switzerland and any point in the EU, and between points in different EU Member States;
• unlimited rights for EU carriers to fly between any point in the EU and any point in Switzerland.

The agreement also envisages that in the future the parties negotiate the granting of the right for EU carriers to fly between points within Switzerland, and for Swiss carriers to fly between points within the EU Member States.

Regulatory alignment

• As laid down in its annex, the agreement extends the application of the EU regulatory framework for civil aviation — including the areas of market regulation, competition, aviation safety, aviation security, air traffic management, environment and noise, consumer protection and fuel taxation — to Switzerland.
• The agreement provides that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency plays the same role in Switzerland as it does in the EU.
• The agreement also contains rules on fair competition, including the prohibition of concerted practices and abuse of dominant position, as well as strict rules on State aid. Within its scope, it forbids any discrimination based on nationality.

Institutional rules

• Each party is responsible for the enforcement of the agreement in its respective territories, but has the obligation to share information and give each other assistance on possible infringements.
• A joint committee composed of representatives of both parties and meeting at least yearly is responsible for administering the agreement and ensuring its proper implementation. Within the context of the committee, the parties share information, hold consultations and take decisions, notably on the amendment of the annex to the agreement regarding EU aviation legislation. The parties also consult each other to consider coordinated action within international organisations and towards other countries outside the scope of this agreement.