Brussels, 13.6.2025

COM(2025) 309 final

ANNEX

to the

Proposal for a Council Decision

on the conclusion of a broad package of agreements to consolidate, deepen and expand the bilateral relations with the Swiss Confederation


PROTOCOL
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION
AND THE SWISS CONFEDERATION
ON PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

THE EUROPEAN UNION (hereinafter referred to as "Union"),

and

THE SWISS CONFEDERATION (hereinafter referred to as "Switzerland"),

hereinafter referred to as the "Contracting Parties",

CONSIDERING the close mutual ties between them based on their proximity, shared values and common European culture, as well as the fact that their economies are highly interlinked in terms of trade and investments,

SHARING the objective of contributing to the smooth running and continued development of the Union and Switzerland's comprehensive partnership to its full potential,

WELCOMING the conclusion in December 2024 of the negotiations on the broad bilateral package for the stabilisation and development of their relations,

DESIRING to contribute to the reinforcement of cooperation between the European Parliament and the Swiss Federal Assembly,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:



ARTICLE 1

A Joint Parliamentary Committee is hereby established. It shall contribute, through dialogue and debate, to a better understanding between the Contracting Parties on the broad bilateral package and the possible further development of their bilateral relations.

ARTICLE 2

The Joint Parliamentary Committee shall be composed, in equal numbers, of members of the European Parliament and members of the Swiss Federal Assembly. The total number of members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee shall be specified in its rules of procedure.

ARTICLE 3

The Joint Parliamentary Committee shall meet alternately in the Union and in Switzerland at least once a year.



ARTICLE 4

Upon its establishment, the Joint Parliamentary Committee:

(a)    may request relevant information regarding the implementation of any agreement that forms part of the broad bilateral package, as well as of any possible future bilateral agreement in fields related to the internal market in which Switzerland participates, from the Contracting Parties, which shall then supply that Committee with the requested information;

(b)    shall be informed on a regular basis of the decisions and recommendations of the Joint Committees established by any agreement that forms part of the broad bilateral package and by any possible future bilateral agreement in fields related to the internal market in which Switzerland participates; and

(c)    may make recommendations to the Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE 5

The Joint Parliamentary Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure with a two-third majority of the members of that Committee.



ARTICLE 6

1.    This Protocol shall be ratified or approved by the Contracting Parties in accordance with their own procedures. The Contracting Parties shall notify each other of the completion of the internal procedures necessary to the entry into force of this Protocol.

2.    This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the last notification pursuant to paragraph 1.

ARTICLE 7

This Protocol may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of the Contracting Parties.

Each Contracting Party may terminate this Protocol at any time by notifying the other Contracting Party in writing through diplomatic channels. Termination shall take effect three months after receipt of such notification.

Done at [place], on [date], in duplicate in the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, duly authorised thereto, have signed this Protocol.

For the European Union

For the Swiss Confederation