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Switzerland to open EU borders from June 15th

The Swiss government said Friday it will accelerate plans to open its borders, allowing people travelling from all European Union countries and Britain to enter from June 15th.

Published: 5 June 2020 16:07 CEST

Switzerland to open EU borders from June 15th

Switzerland will soon open borders to all of the EU nations. Photo: AFP

June 5th, 2020 (AFP) -Swiss authorities had already announced in mid-May plans to reopen the country's borders with its immediate neighbours, except Italy, on that date, and to the rest of the Schengen passport-free area by early July.

But with most European countries appearing to gain significant control over their COVID-19 outbreaks, Bern said in a statement that the “epidemiological situation” made a faster and broader opening possible.

The non-EU member said it would now be possible to welcome travellers from the bloc along with those from fellow members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

A spokeswoman for the justice ministry confirmed to AFP that Italy — the country in Europe that has been hardest-hit by the pandemic — was included in the decision.

As recently as this week, Swiss authorities said they would not be opening the border with Italy until July, as the country’s rate of infections was not yet low enough.

READ MORE: Switzerland warns against ‘premature' travel to Italy

Italy itself opened its borders to other Schengen countries earlier this week, and asked others to do the same.

Friday's decision was reached after a virtual meeting between interior ministers from the Schengen area, with a large number of European countries deciding to follow a similar path, Bern said in a statement.

The opening of borders coincides with the start of international travel, as Switzerland’s airlines are resuming some of their regular flights in June.

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Switzerland sees record high immigration from European countries

Lots of data indicates that Switzerland needs foreign workers to fill job vacancies.

Now a report from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) confirms the importance that employees from the European Union and EFTA (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein) have had for Switzerland’s labour market and economy in general.

That is why “demand for foreign labour was strong in Switzerland in 2023,” SECO said in its annual report published on Monday, which assessed the impact that the Free Movement of Persons agreement (FMPA) has had on the country’s employment.

In 2023, 68,000 people from EU and EFTA countries came to work in Switzerland, according to SECO, driven by “employment growth that has significantly exceeded the EU average.”

Why does Switzerland need EU / EFTA workers?

Simply put, they are needed for the country’s economy to function optimally.

As SECO pointed out, while the number of pensioners is growing (due mostly to Switzerland’s exceptionally high life expectancy), “Swiss working-age population has experienced only slow growth over the past 20 years.”

“The country’s economic growth is not possible without immigration,” said Simon Wey, chief economist at the Swiss Employers’ Union. “We need foreign labour if we want to maintain our level of prosperity.”

READ ALSO: How EU immigrant workers have become ‘essential’ for Switzerland

In what sectors is the need for these workers the highest?

“A large number of people from the EU coming to work in Switzerland are highly qualified and are employed in demanding activities in high-growth branches of the service sector, such as the branch of special, scientific and technical activities, that of information and communication or the health sector;” SECO’s report said.

But the Swiss economy also recruits EU nationals as low-skilled labour, particularly in the hotel and catering industry, as well as construction and industry.

Why are only people from the EU / EFTA states recruited?

The reason is that, unlike nationals of third countries, people from the EU / EFTA have an almost unlimited access to the Swiss employment market, thanks precisely to the FMPA.

Also, those coming from the neighbour countries (as most of Switzerland’s foreign labour force does), have the required language skills to easily integrate into the workforce in language-appropriate Swiss regions.

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