Brussels has announced that Switzerland’s neutrality, maintained since 1815, will significantly benefit the EU’s defense project.
The Council of the European Union has approved Switzerland’s participation in the EU’s Military Mobility project, a component of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) program launched in 2017.
This initiative streamlines cross-border military transport within the EU, facilitating the rapid movement of personnel and equipment across land, sea, and air.
Following Monday’s announcement, the Netherlands, as PESCO coordinator, can formally invite Switzerland to join. The Military Mobility project operates under the PESCO framework.
Switzerland will gain full membership upon finalizing an administrative agreement with the project.
The Council stated that Switzerland’s inclusion will provide substantial advantages to the initiative.
Switzerland, which applied for PESCO last September, will be the fifth non-EU member—after Canada, Norway, the US, and the UK—invited to participate.
This initiative is often referred to as “Military Schengen,” echoing the Schengen Area’s borderless travel for 29 European countries.
Last week, the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) urged Defense Minister Viola Amherd’s resignation, citing concerns about Switzerland’s growing alignment with NATO and alleged erosion of sovereignty.
Amherd, who supports closer ties with NATO, became the first Swiss defense minister to attend the North Atlantic Council in 2023. Last year, she advocated lifting restrictions on re-exporting Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine, although the ban remains.
Swiss authorities have backed EU sanctions against Russia regarding the Ukraine conflict. In response, Russia no longer considers Switzerland neutral and has designated it an “unfriendly nation.”