The bilateral agreements provide companies in Switzerland's mechanical and electrical engineering industries (MEM industries) with non-discriminatory access to the huge EU single market, and thus to new markets and customers. They cut firms' operating costs, boost their innovative capacity, promote investment in Swiss industry and safeguard jobs. The interplay between the individual agreements strengthens their overall utility significantly, with the result that these accords enhance both the competitiveness of Swiss businesses and the country's attractiveness as a location for industry. Almost 80% of companies in the MEM industries rate the bilateral agreements as important to indispensable. Moreover, the EU is set to remain the most important market for the Swiss MEM industries in future. These are the findings of the comprehensive study carried out by BAKBASEL on behalf of Swissmem in spring 2015. Given the huge significance of the bilateral agreements, Swissmem will fight vigorously to preserve them, and is launching its own campaign in support of this goal.
