Key facts
- UK and Switzerland have signed a new trade deal.
- Mobile roaming charges will be scrapped for tourists and professionals.
- British travelers will gain access to e-gates at Swiss airports.
- The deal is projected to increase UK exports to Switzerland by £5.2 billion annually.
- Business services mobility will be permanent, allowing up to 90 days without a work permit.
- UK employees can work in Switzerland for up to five years without stringent economic needs tests.
The United Kingdom has finalized a significant trade agreement with Switzerland, which includes provisions to eliminate mobile roaming charges for travelers and permit British citizens to utilize e-gates at Swiss airports for the first time. Trade Secretary Peter Kyle hailed the deal as the most substantial services trade agreement ever negotiated by the UK. The agreement is anticipated to boost annual UK exports to Switzerland by an estimated £5.2 billion in the long term.
This new accord permanently establishes a services mobility arrangement, allowing businesses to provide services for up to 90 days without requiring a work permit. UK passport holders are expected to be able to use e-gates at Zurich Airport by the end of the year, with Geneva and Basel airports to follow. This initiative is separate from Switzerland's adoption of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES).
Professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and architects are among those set to benefit from the agreement. UK employees will also be permitted to transfer to work in Switzerland for up to five years without facing strict economic needs tests. Approximately 800,000 Britons visit Switzerland annually, and Swiss citizens already have access to e-gates at UK airports. Switzerland represents the UK's sixth-largest market for services exports, with over £30 billion in services trade recorded in 2025.
Sir Keir Starmer commented that the agreement aims to simplify processes and foster greater opportunities for individuals across the UK, facilitating easier sales of expertise in a key European market and supporting domestic jobs and investment. Heidi Alexander and Apostolos Tzitzikostas have committed to collaborating for the smoothest possible Entry/Exit System checks ahead of the peak summer travel season.