Relationship dossier
Australia
Switzerland
Relationship assessment
Australia and Switzerland sustain practical cooperation across taxation, social security, research and trade.
Australia toward Switzerland
+35Australia has maintained bilateral agreements with Switzerland on taxation and social security and has pursued closer trade relations through negotiations with EFTA, which includes Switzerland. These arrangements reflect practical government cooperation.
Switzerland toward Australia
+35Switzerland has maintained bilateral agreements with Australia on taxation and social security and has participated, through EFTA, in negotiations to deepen trade relations with Australia. The two governments also cooperate in research.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship is shaped by durable practical arrangements, including bilateral tax and social-security agreements, alongside research cooperation and efforts to expand trade through Australia–EFTA negotiations. These features support a positive assessment without indicating an exceptionally close strategic partnership.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Australia and Switzerland maintain a substantially cooperative relationship, supported by bilateral agreements on taxation and social security, research cooperation, and efforts to deepen trade ties through an Australia–EFTA free trade agreement. No major bilateral dispute stands out, though the scope and implementation of individual cooperation initiatives are not fully clear.
Key developments
Australia and Switzerland concluded a bilateral agreement on social security, which entered into force in 2008.
Australia and EFTA, including Switzerland, concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement.
Australia and Switzerland maintain a bilateral double taxation agreement.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral research cooperation are unclear.
- The practical effects of the Australia–EFTA trade agreement on bilateral ties are uncertain.