The European Union and the Swiss Confederation have signed Cooperation Agreement in Competition Matters. This agreement is supposed to strengthen co-operation between the EU and the Swiss Confederation. Four such agreements have already been signed by the EU with the United States, Canada, Japan and Korea.

The agreement provides framework for co-ordination and co-operation of enforcement activities. It provides a platform for further discussion and co-operation in policy issues and it will also tackle anti-competitive behaviour carried out in the territory of the other country. A unique feature of the agreement with Switzerland is that it also includes provisions on the exchange of evidence obtained by the competition authorities when they investigate the same case. The EU and Switzerland are two very important economic partners, whose economies are deeply integrated. As a result, many anticompetitive practices have cross border effects on trade between the EU and Switzerland.

For more information, click here.