Bilaterals: business and research plead for openness
On 21 November, high-ranking representatives from science and business discussed the importance of international networking and the bilateral agreements with the European Union (EU). They all agreed that a departure from the bilateral approach would be detrimental to Switzerland as a location for business and research.
Patrick Warnking, Country Director of Google Switzerland, and Jan Lichtenberg, co-founder and CEO of the life science SME InSphero AG in Schlieren, stressed the importance of outstanding and internationally networked universities as well as the possibility of recruiting specialists, also abroad, for their companies.
Today, Switzerland is economically, politically and culturally interconnected around the globe, but especially in Europe. Numerous domestic companies drive innovation and create secure jobs because they benefit from this openness. The bilateral agreements with the EU are a central part of this fabric.
They are not only crucial for the export economy, but also for Switzerland as a research location. Thanks to these agreements, Switzerland is linked to the European research network, which is unique in the world. "However," emphasises the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, "this connection has been under pressure since the immigration initiative was adopted in February 2014.
Switzerland quo vadis?
Representatives from science and business discussed the significance of these agreements for business and research today at the evening event "Economic openness - Switzerland quo vadis?" organised by the Zurich Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Interpharma, swissuniversities and stark+vernetzt (economiesuisse).
They all stressed the importance of the bilateral agreements with the EU: Novartis country president André Wyss explained in his introductory speech why the Swiss pharmaceutical industry, which makes more than half of its foreign sales in Europe, is dependent on open relations with the EU: "Losing unbureaucratic access to the European market and to European specialists would be extremely painful for all of us, also because the economy is also under pressure in other areas."
Christoph Franz, Chairman of the Roche Board of Directors, stressed that the bilateral agreements gave Switzerland "the nickel and the dime": Namely, both a solid basis for good trade relations with the 28 EU states and political independence from the EU. Prof. Dr. Michael O. Hengartner, Rector of the University of Zurich, underlined the importance of research cooperation with the EU for the Swiss university landscape.
Research needs connection
Prof. Dr. Michael O. Hengartner: "In order to continue to play in the Champions League of research, we need connections to European research programmes." Patrick Warnking, Country Director of Google Switzerland, and Jan Lichtenberg, co-founder and CEO of the life science SME InSphero AG in Schlieren, emphasised the importance of outstanding and internationally networked universities, as well as the possibility of recruiting specialists, also abroad, for their companies.
Regine Sauter, Director of the Zurich Chamber of Commerce, illustrated how Zurich exemplifies the internationality of the Swiss economy: "This openness is an important factor in Zurich's attractiveness as a business location."
Business and academia will continue to be motivated in their efforts to communicate to Swiss SMEs the value and importance of open trade relations for Switzerland.
