Summary

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) presents the 22nd report of the Observatory on the Freedom of Movement Agreement between Switzerland and the EU on 25 June 2026. The press conference takes place at 10:00 a.m. at the Media Centre of the Federal Palace in Bern and is exclusively for media professionals. The report analyzes the impacts of free movement of persons on the labour market as well as the financial effects on social security systems.

Persons

  • SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs; Federal Authority)

Topics

  • Freedom of Movement Switzerland–EU
  • Labour Market
  • Social Security
  • Observatory Report

Clarus Lead

The report is part of regular monitoring of freedom of movement effects and provides current data on a politically sensitive topic. The focus on labour market and social insurance impacts indicates the continued interest of the federal administration in an empirical basis for migration policy.

Detailed Summary

SECO is organizing a press conference to present the 22nd Observatory Report. The report systematically documents the consequences of free movement of persons under the bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the EU. Two central analytical dimensions are envisaged: first, labour market effects (employment, wages, job quality) and second, impacts on the financing of social security systems (health insurance, old-age provision, unemployment insurance).

The press conference is restricted to accredited media professionals and takes place at the Media Centre of the Federal Palace. Interested media representatives can request the report from Wednesday, 24 June 2026, 3:00 p.m. under embargo (embargo ends: 25 June 2026, 10:00 a.m.). Registrations are required by Tuesday, 23 June 2026, 5:00 p.m.

Key Messages

  • SECO presents systematic analysis of freedom of movement effects
  • Focus on labour market and social insurance impacts
  • Embargo regulation until the press conference

Critical Questions

  1. (a) Data Quality: What data sources and survey methods does the Observatory use to measure labour market effects, and how reliable are these compared to international standards?

  2. (a) Time Coverage: What time period is analyzed in the 22nd report, and how are structural changes (business cycles, technological change) controlled for?

  3. (b) Conflicts of Interest: Who contributes to the financing and governance of the Observatory, and is there external validation of the findings?

  4. (c) Causality: How does the report differentiate between direct effects of freedom of movement and correlations with other factors (e.g., globalization, digitalization)?

  5. (c) Counter-Hypotheses: Are alternative scenarios (e.g., without freedom of movement) modeled or only descriptive trends shown?

  6. (d) Feasibility: What policy options does the report derive, and are these realistic in the context of bilateral treaties?

  7. (d) Side Effects: Are possible negative effects of restricting freedom of movement (e.g., skilled labour shortages, economic effects) addressed?

References

Primary Source: [SECO Statement: 22nd Report of the Observatory on the Freedom of Movement Agreement] – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/9b5rjc4ngOSVlHHfG031H

Verification Status: ✓ 18.06.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 18.06.2026