Editing Switzerland (section)

=== Foreign relations and international institutions ===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Switzerland}}
[[File:United Nations Flags - cropped.jpg|thumb|The [[Palace of Nations, Geneva|Palace of Nations]], the European headquarters of the [[United Nations Office at Geneva|United Nations]] in Geneva]]
Traditionally, Switzerland avoids alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action and has been neutral since the end of its [[Growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy|expansion]] in 1515. Its [[Swiss neutrality|policy of neutrality]] was internationally recognised at the [[Congress of Vienna]] in 1815.<ref name="Neutrality">{{Cite web |title=Neutrality |url=https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/politik-geschichte/die-schweiz-und-die-welt/neutralitaet.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324092218/https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/politik-geschichte/die-schweiz-und-die-welt/neutralitaet.html |archive-date=24 March 2023 |access-date=17 March 2023 |website=Federal Department of Foreign Affairs |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Switzerland – Country history and economic development |encyclopedia=nationsencyclopedia.com |url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Switzerland-COUNTRY-HISTORY-AND-ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT.html |access-date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206025947/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Switzerland-COUNTRY-HISTORY-AND-ECONOMIC-DEVELOPMENT.html |archive-date=6 February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> Swiss neutrality has been questioned at times.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephens |first=Thomas |date=12 February 2020 |title=Latest spy scandal 'shatters Swiss neutrality', say papers |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/press-review_latest-spy-scandal--shatters-swiss-neutrality---say-papers/45553888 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302121722/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/press-review_latest-spy-scandal--shatters-swiss-neutrality---say-papers/45553888 |archive-date=2 March 2020 |access-date=16 March 2020 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ICRC in WW II: the Holocaust |url=http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/history-holocauste-020205.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904035727/http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/history-holocauste-020205.htm |archive-date=4 September 2012 |access-date=28 August 2012}}.</ref> In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations.<ref name="Neutrality" /> It was the first state to join it by [[2002 Swiss referendums|referendum]]. Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as an intermediary between other states.<ref name="Neutrality" /> Switzerland is not a member of the [[European Union]]; the Swiss people have consistently rejected membership since the early 1990s.<ref name="Neutrality" /> However, Switzerland does participate in the [[Schengen Area]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schengen Visa Countries List – Schengen Area |url=http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204232612/http://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/ |archive-date=4 December 2015 |access-date=4 December 2015 |website=Schengen VISA Information |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Flag of the Red Cross.svg|thumb|upright|left|The colour-reversed Swiss flag became the symbol of the Red Cross Movement, founded in 1863 by [[Henry Dunant]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.icrc.org/en/our-emblems |title=Our emblems |date=<!--No date given.--> |website=<!--Website name is the same as publisher name.--> |publisher=International Committee of the Red Cross |location=Geneva, Switzerland |access-date=2024-11-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926233541/https://www.icrc.org/en/our-emblems |archive-date=2024-09-26 |quote=The governments attending the diplomatic conference, which adopted the original First Geneva Convention in 1864, decided that a clear neutral sign was needed on the battlefield to protect medical staff and facilities. They opted for a red cross on a white background, the exact reverse of the flag of neutral Switzerland.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1901/dunant/biographical/ |title=Henry Dunant — Biographical |date=<!--No date given.--> |website=NobelPrize.org |series=The Nobel Peace Prize 1901 |publisher=Nobel Foundation |access-date=2023-02-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208144501/https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1901/dunant/biographical/ |archive-date=2023-02-08}} From {{cite book |editor-last=Haberman |editor-first=Frederick W. |year=1972 |title=Nobel Lectures, Peace |url=https://archive.org/details/peace0000unse_j9x3/ |url-access=registration |volume=1, 1901–1925 |location=Amsterdam, The Netherlands |publisher=Elsevier, for the Nobel Foundation |pages=5–8 |isbn=978-0-444-40853-2 |access-date=2024-11-05 |via=the Internet Archive}}</ref>]]

Many international institutions have headquarters in Switzerland, in part because of its policy of neutrality. [[Geneva]] is the birthplace of the [[Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement]], the [[Geneva Conventions]] and, since 2006, hosts the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]]. Even though Switzerland is one of the most recent countries to join the United Nations, the [[Palace of Nations, Geneva|Palace of Nations]] in Geneva is the second biggest centre for the United Nations after the [[Headquarters of the United Nations|headquarters]] in New York. Switzerland was a founding member and hosted the [[League of Nations]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=van Ginneken |first=Anique H. M. |title=Historical Dictionary of the League of Nations |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |year=2006 |isbn=9780810865136 |pages=182 |language=en}}</ref>

Apart from the United Nations headquarters, the Swiss Confederation is host to many UN agencies, including the World Health Organization ([[WHO]]), the International Labour Organization ([[International Labour Organization|ILO]]), the International Telecommunication Union ([[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]]), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ([[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]]) and about 200 other international organisations, including the [[World Trade Organization]] and the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]].<ref name="Neutrality" /> The annual meetings of the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos]] bring together business and political leaders from Switzerland and foreign countries to discuss important issues. The headquarters of the [[Bank for International Settlements]] (BIS) moved to [[Basel]] in 1930.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Many sports federations and organisations are located in the country, including the [[International Handball Federation]] in Basel, the [[International Basketball Federation]] in Geneva, the Union of European Football Associations ([[UEFA]]) in [[Nyon]], the International Federation of Association Football ([[FIFA]]) and the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] both in [[Zurich]], the [[Union Cycliste Internationale|International Cycling Union]] in [[Aigle]], and the [[International Olympic Committee]] in [[Lausanne]].<ref>[http://www.ifsports-guide.ch/english/navigation/annuaire_en.html Sports directory] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503052352/http://www.ifsports-guide.ch/english/navigation/annuaire_en.html |date=3 May 2010}} if-sportsguide.ch. Retrieved on 25 January 2010</ref>

Switzerland became a member of the [[United Nations Security Council]] for the 2023–2024 period.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 June 2022 |title=Switzerland elected to UN Security Council |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/switzerland-elected-to-un-security-council/47661050 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609162030/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/switzerland-elected-to-un-security-council/47661050 |archive-date=9 June 2022 |access-date=9 June 2022 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch}}</ref> According to the 2024 [[Global Peace Index]], Switzerland is the 6th most peaceful country in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Global Peace Index |url=https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GPI-2024-web.pdf}}</ref>

==== Switzerland and the European Union ====
{{Further|Switzerland–European Union relations}}
Although not a member, Switzerland maintains relationships with the EU and European countries through bilateral agreements. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the EU, in an effort to compete internationally. [[Future enlargement of the European Union#States not on the agenda|EU membership]] faces considerable negative popular sentiment. It is opposed by the conservative [[Swiss People's Party|SVP]] party, the largest party in the National Council, and not advocated by several other political parties. The membership application was formally withdrawn in 2016. The western French-speaking areas and the urban regions of the rest of the country tend to be more pro-EU, but do not form a significant share of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 February 2003 |title=Volksinitiative "Ja zu Europa!" |trans-title=Initiative "Yes to Europe!" |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/03/blank/key/2001/01.Document.22675.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624200130/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/03/blank/key/2001/01.Document.22675.pdf |archive-date=24 June 2008 |access-date=15 June 2008 |publisher=BFS/OFS/UST |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 January 2003 |title=Volksinitiative "Ja zu Europa!", nach Kantonen. (Initiative "Yes to Europe!" by Canton). |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/03/blank/key/2001/01.Document.85488.xls |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501043932/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/17/03/blank/key/2001/01.Document.85488.xls |archive-date=1 May 2011 |access-date=15 June 2008 |publisher=BFS/OFS/UST |language=de |format=XLS}}</ref>

[[File:EU and EFTA.svg|thumb|left|Members of the [[European Free Trade Association]] (green) participate in the [[European single market]] and are part of the [[Schengen Area]].]]
An Integration Office operates under the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs|Department of Foreign Affairs]] and the [[Federal Department of Economic Affairs|Department of Economic Affairs]]. Seven bilateral agreements liberalised trade ties, taking effect in 2001. This first series of bilateral agreements included the free movement of persons. A second series of agreements covering nine areas was signed in 2004, including the [[Schengen Treaty]] and the [[Dublin Convention]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bilateral agreements Switzerland-EU |url=http://www.europa.admin.ch/themen/00500/index.html?lang=en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830131031/http://www.europa.admin.ch/themen/00500/index.html?lang=en |archive-date=30 August 2014 |access-date=8 May 2014 |website=www.europa.admin.ch |publisher=Swiss Directorate for European Affairs DEA, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA}}</ref>

In 2006, a referendum approved 1 billion francs of supportive investment in Southern and Central European countries in support of positive ties to the EU as a whole. A further referendum will be needed to approve 300 million francs to support Romania and Bulgaria and their recent admission.

The Swiss have faced EU and international pressure to reduce [[banking secrecy]] and raise tax rates to parity with the EU. Preparatory discussions involved four areas: the electricity market, participation in project [[Galileo positioning system|Galileo]], cooperating with the [[European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control]] and certificates of origin for food products.<ref>[http://www.europa.admin.ch/themen/00499/00503/index.html?lang=en Switzerland and the European Union] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815075936/http://www.europa.admin.ch/themen/00499/00503/index.html?lang=en |date=15 August 2010}} europa.admin.ch. Retrieved on 25 January 2010.</ref>{{Update inline|date=March 2023}}

Switzerland is a member of the Schengen passport-free zone. Land [[border checkpoint]]s monitor goods movements, but not people.<ref>[http://www.euronews.net/2008/12/11/switzerland-in-schengen-end-to-passport-checks/ Switzerland in Schengen: end to passport checks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523154739/http://www.euronews.net/2008/12/11/switzerland-in-schengen-end-to-passport-checks/ |date=23 May 2009}} euronews.net. Retrieved on 25 January 2010.</ref>