Introduction

This chapter introduces the book’s topic, namely Switzerland–EU relations and the insights that can be derived from them for the UK’s future relations with the EU post Brexit. It outlines the questions the book addresses, such as: what are the economic interests at stake? Why and how has the path of bilateral agreements developed and why is an overarching institutional framework agreement currently on the table? Why has migration become a central issue in Swiss–EU relations? How has Switzerland’s federal system been affected by “integration without membership”? How have the Swiss parties positioned themselves on “Europe” and what impact has the integration question had on the party system? What are the factors explaining citizens’ vote on European issues and, in particular, how could we explain regional variations? What are the key takeaways for the UK?