ABSTRACT
The chapter analyses the economic dimension of the relationship between Switzerland and the European Union over the last 30 years. It argues that Switzerland’s desire not to be economically marginalised by the process of European integration has been a major factor driving the country’s policy vis-à-vis the EU. At the same time, political constraints and the need to protect Switzerland’s comparative advantages have led to a careful and selective approach. The country has thus walked a tightrope between market access and political independence. Prominent aspects of the Swiss economy, such as the importance of the financial sector, have clear parallels in the UK, thus making Switzerland’s experience a potentially fruitful one for the latter.
