The UK and Switzerland have come to an agreement on the recognition of professional qualifications in each country, the UK government has announced.
The provisions of the previous agreement on qualifications between the two countries, the Citizens’ Rights Agreement, will now be replaced by the UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement. This new arrangement will “ensure UK-qualified professionals in regulated sectors have a smooth and transparent route for their qualifications to be recognised in Switzerland”, the government says.
The government argues this change will increase trade between the two nations by encouraging “employers to work between both countries”.
Professions
Over 200 professions will benefit from the agreement, the government adds, with industries from law to auditing affected. Anaesthetists are also covered by qualification recognition between the two countries for the first time as a result of the agreement, it says. British ski instructors will also now be able to work more easily in Switzerland.
These changes will allow those in regulated professions in the UK to sell their services more easily in Switzerland.
UK-Swiss trade is “already worth £46bn a year”, the government notes. An expansion of services trade between the two nations could be a major boost, “particularly in professional and business services”, which it says is worth £8bn.
“The agreement also includes a bespoke route to recognition for certain legal professionals, so lawyers can become qualified in the other country after practising for three years,” the government said.
“This is vital as Switzerland is one of the largest and most important export markets for UK legal services in Europe.”
‘Resolutely pro-business government’
Jonathan Reynolds, the UK business and trade secretary, said “innovative agreements like this will make a real difference to our world-class services sectors”, adding that he knows “the challenges faced by UK professionals when working abroad” from his time as a trainee solicitor.
He added:
“As a resolutely pro-business government, we want to make it as seamless as possible for UK businesses to operate abroad. With the UK and Switzerland being two global leaders in services trade, this agreement is testament to our unwavering commitment to economic growth.”
The agreement comes as the UK and Switzerland holds ongoing negotiations over a broader free trade agreement (FTA), which the government said “continue at pace”, and which it adds will target “investment and digital trade and delivering economic growth and jobs across the UK”.
Industry voices
Some of those from relevant industries spoke on the agreement, including Financial Reporting Council CEO Richard Moriarty:
“Securing mutual recognition agreements with global partners is good for the future skills and resilience of the UK audit profession which plays an important role in supporting UK growth.
“This UK-Switzerland Recognition of Professional Qualifications Agreement will support UK audit firms to export their services and enhance the profession’s ability to trade across the globe.”
The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Muyiwa Oki, said that “close trading ties with our European neighbours are crucial to British architecture’s global success”, and added that the agreement “helps smooth the path for practices to export their professional services and expand beyond borders”.