ABSTRACT
The free-trade agreements concluded in 1972 by Switzerland with the European Economic Community and the European coal and steel community intensified Switzerland's economic interdependence with the European community (EC), which – due to the geographical situation of Switzerland – had already been considerable. Switzerland's economic dependence on the EC is not essentially higher than that of most other states. As to the various branches of the Swiss economy, the Report of the Federal Council stated that industry would probably profit most from Switzerland's accession to the EC. The Swiss Federal Council, supported by the overwhelming majority of political and economic groups, rejects accession to the EC for the time being, mainly for political rather than for economic reasons. There has been no dispute that the accession of Switzerland to the EC would have to be submitted to a constitutional referendum, which means that it would have to be approved by the majority of voters and the majority of the cantons.
