Switzerland and the EU: Lessons for a Post-Brexit UK?
On 19 and 20 April, Prof. Ambühl gave a series of talks in London regarding the Swiss Bilateral Agreements with the EU and potential relevance to the UK after Brexit. He spoke at Policy Exchange, Chatham House and the London School of Economics, reaching out to a diverse audience including policy-makers, scholars and students.
Prof. Ambühl explained the progress of the Swiss-EU bilateral path since the Free Trade Agreement of 1973, especially Switzerland’s non-membership of the Customs Union, as well as its sectorial Single Market access. He particularly focused on the lessons learned by the Swiss in negotiating with the EU: these being primarily not to question fundamental EU principles but to use the flexibility of the EU in the implementation of said principles, and not trying to insist only on its own interests, but to make a constructive contribution towards the European architecture.
Prof. Ambühl talked alongside Sir Ivan Rogers, Former Permanent Representative of the UK to the EU, and Allie Renison, Head of Europe and Trade Policy, Institute of Directors. The event took place at Policy Exchange, a think tank based in London.
At the Royal Institute of International Affairs, more commonly known as Chatham House, Prof. Ambühl discussed alongside with former Swiss President, Ms. Calmy-Rey and former director of the Swiss customs, Rudolf Dietrich.
The same speakers talked at the event later in the afternoon at the London School of Economics, organized by Agora, a young think tank for foreign policy.
Livestream and further information:
external page https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/switzerland-and-eu-lessons-post-brexit-uk.