The thematic focus areas digitalization and sustainability are determined by trends in the foreign economic policy context. These are not new topics, but are action areas of great importance to foreign economic policy objectives.
Contributing to environmental and social sustainability
- Through its foreign economic policy, Switzerland con-tributes to sustainable development in Switzerland and its partner countries. It promotes sustainable trade and global standards for the protection of the environment, human rights and workers' rights. It also advocates corporate social responsibility.
- Switzerland includes binding provisions on sustainability in its free trade agreements as a way of ensuring sustainability in its bilateral economic relations. Switzerland also promotes the guidelines on responsible business conduct for companies based in or operating in Switzerland.
- Finally, it assists selected developing countries and emerging markets in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Integrating the digital economy
- As an important location for business and research, Switzerland advocates comprehensive in-ternational rules on digital trade and unhindered data flows.
- Working with various international organisations, Switzerland seeks long-term, broad-based so-lutions for the digital economy.
- As an EFTA member, Switzerland is committed to making comprehensive rules on digital commerce an integral part of trade agreements. The EFTA model chapter on e-commerce is an important instrument in this respect.
Last modification 23.12.2021
