Jun. 15 2024
Source Page: Prime Minister to travel to Switzerland for major peace summit on UkraineFound: Prime Minister to travel to Switzerland for major peace summit on Ukraine
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has met with his Swiss counterparts regarding the proposed train link between London St. Pancras and Basel.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government fully supports the growth of international rail services and regularly engages with European partners to discuss the potential for new routes. In May 2023 the Secretary of State met his Swiss counterpart and discussed the potential for a future direct rail connection between the UK and Switzerland. My officials have subsequently met with and continue to work with Swiss counterparts to explore this further.
The potential for any new international services is subject to commercial appetite. My officials stand ready to engage with any prospective new operators where there are credible commercial proposals for new services.
Jan. 10 2024
Source Page: UK/Switzerland: Exchange of Notes concerning the Mutual Recognition of Driver Qualification Cards for Drivers of Large Vehicles Issued by the Relevant Authorities [TS No.1/2024]Found: UK/Switzerland: Exchange of Notes concerning the Mutual Recognition of Driver Qualification Cards for
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that a UK-Switzerland trade deal includes provisions for the (a) digital, (b) data and (c) investment sectors.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade is making good progress in negotiations on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement. Both the UK and Switzerland agree this should include outcomes in areas such as digital, data and investment.
For investment, UK negotiators are seeking legally guaranteed preferential access to the Swiss market for UK investors and companies. On digital, the UK aims to enhance trade commitments such as those supporting paperless trading. For data, UK objectives include seeking to prevent unjustified localisation, facilitating the free flow of data, and upholding the UK’s high standard of personal data protection.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress she has made on trade talks with Switzerland.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since launching trade negotiations with Switzerland in May 2023, the UK has held two rounds of negotiations on an Enhanced Free Trade Agreement. Discussions have been constructive and collaborative, and we have made good progress in starting to agree draft treaty text in several chapters.
The third round of negotiations is currently underway and is expected to conclude in early December 2023. The negotiating team will continue to keep Parliament and the public informed with a ministerial statement and published GOV.UK update following the round.
Jan. 10 2024
Source Page: UK/Switzerland: Exchange of Notes concerning the Mutual Recognition of Driver Qualification Cards for Drivers of Large Vehicles Issued by the Relevant Authorities [TS No.1/2024]Found: UK/Switzerland: Exchange of Notes concerning the Mutual Recognition of Driver Qualification Cards for
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) agendas and (b) minutes of discussion (i) he and (ii) officials in his Department have had with his Swiss counterpart on a proposed train link between London St. Pancras and Basel.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As these meetings with the government of Switzerland were held on a confidential basis it would not be appropriate to publish this information. However, the Government has been developing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Swiss Government which I would be happy to share a copy of with the member for Romford once this has been formally signed.
Correspondence Dec. 19 2023
Committee: Business and Trade Committee (Department: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)Found: Minister for Industry and Economic Security relating to updates on UK trade agreements with Canada and Switzerland
Oct. 17 2023
Source Page: Negotiations on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement: Update October 2023Found: Negotiations on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement: Update October 2023
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to negotiate closer cooperation with the Swiss financial services industry.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade is negotiating an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland that will deepen UK-Swiss financial services ties and provide long-term certainty and greater market access for UK-Swiss services trade, which was worth £27.1 billion in the 12 months to June 2023. This will be complementary to the Mutual Recognition Agreement in Financial Services, which HM Treasury is negotiating with the Swiss Finance Ministry, the agreement remains on course to be signed before the end of the year.