UK-Switzerland trade agreement strengthens legal services and business mobility provisions
The Bar Council has welcomed the conclusion of a new Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United Kingdom and Switzerland, saying it provides greater certainty for legal professionals through new provisions covering legal services and business mobility. The announcement follows the conclusion of negotiations between the two countries on 13 July 2026, with the Bar Council issuing its response on 14 July 2026.
Under the agreement, UK services professionals will be able to continue travelling to Switzerland without a visa for short-term business visits of up to 90 days each year. The arrangement makes permanent existing business mobility provisions and is intended to support professionals who work across both jurisdictions.
The agreement also protects the ability of UK lawyers to advise on English, Welsh and international law while working in Switzerland. In addition, it includes measures designed to support transfers and secondments between UK and Swiss offices, providing greater certainty for legal businesses with operations in both countries.
According to the Bar Council, it contributed to the negotiations by providing the UK Government with the priorities of the Bar of England and Wales. Its submissions focused on improving market access and maintaining business mobility for legal professionals engaged in cross-border work.
Commenting on the agreement, Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair of the Bar Council, said Switzerland remains an important market for the UK legal profession. She welcomed the recognition of legal services provided by barristers as a significant contributor to the UK economy and described the sector as an important driver of economic growth.
Brimelow said the agreement provides “much needed certainty” for business travel and the delivery of legal services, adding that it would support both barristers and their clients operating across the two jurisdictions. She also said the Bar Council looks forward to reviewing the full text of the agreement and continuing discussions with the Government as it progresses towards signature and implementation.
The wider UK-Switzerland agreement has been described by the UK Government as its most significant services trade agreement to date. Alongside provisions affecting legal services, it contains measures covering professional and business services, investment, digital trade and the mobility of service providers. However, the agreement has not yet entered into force and must complete the domestic ratification procedures in both the UK and Switzerland before its provisions take effect.