Why is Switzerland not a member of the European Union?

Answer 1

No.
No, Switzerland is not in the European Union.

But all the countries that surround it (except Liechtenstein) are in the EU.

Switzerland is part of the Schengen agreement. So, if you cross Switzerland's land borders there are no passport checks, but there are customs checks.

Answer 2

Because it chooses not to be.

A referendum in December 1992 surprisingly rejected EEA membership, which was a stepping stone to the EU. Since then the government has not pursued membership. It would take another referendum before membership talks could be re-started.

The current policy is called 'bilateralism', whereby Switzerland negotiates bilateral treaties with the EU. This has effectively meant that Switzerland has adopted most EU trade policies, but has no vote when policies are changed, it just has to accept them or opt out. Amongst other things, Switzerland has adopted the EU's free movement of labour policies, so EU citizens can live and work in Switzerland and vice-versa.

Answer 3

because

AnswerEvery change in the Swiss constitution has to be voted by the Swiss population. An integration into an supranational union, too. The majority of Swiss people vote against being in the European union because of some disadvantages. One problem is already that EU members have to adopt European laws - so what the parliament in Bruxelles decides has to be done - this is exactly opposite to the mentionned votings in Switzerland, where the population always has the right to say "yes" or "no". Furthermore Switzerland is financially supporting its farmers doing sustainable agriculture... what in the end brings up more expensive products. With the "no-borders" policy and "free imports" the Swiss farmer products couldn't compete with the less expensive ones from outside. Everyday living-costs are relatively high in Switzerland - "no-borders" would also result in a lot more people coming from other countries looking for work in Switzerland. They would be happy with less money than a Swiss citizen would need to maintain his/her life-standard.

Answer 4

After the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815), Switzerland decreed that it would remain neutral from that day forward. It has not participated in any wars or alliances or any kind of international organization with the execption of the United Nations ever since. The European Union, in the eyes of the Swiss, is an organization that can drag nations into war, so Switzerland has declined membership and has no intentions of ever joining.

Answer 5

Liechtenstein has a customs union with Switzerland. It has also used the Swiss Franc since 1920. It is effectively part of the Swiss economy.

If it were to join the EU without Switzerland this would require customs between Liechtenstein and Switzerland, and would be a great disruption to its economy. In the long term there may, or may not, be advantages in changing to the EU, but the short term disadvantages would be too great.

If Switzerland were to join the EU - and there is no prospect of this in the near future - then it is another matter. Liechtenstein could join at the same time, but it is much smaller than the EU's current smallest country (area 160 km2 against Malta's 316 km2, and Luxembourg's 2586 Km2; population 36,281 against Malta's 452,515 and Luxembourg's 511,840). It would probably be 'too small' to fit into the EU and have to be treated as a special case.

Answer 6

No, Switzerland is not a part of the European Union.

Answer 7

Switzerland is not in NATO because it has followed a policy of neutrality since the Congress of Vienna in 1815 (it has also not been at war since that time)

Answer 8

Because the Swiss electorate decided in a referendum not to do so.