Switzerland’s Differentiated European Integration

This book analyses Switzerland’s European policies using the concept of differentiated European integration, providing a new and original perspective on the country. This analytical approach focuses on the similarities between Switzerland's EU policies and the integration of EU member states. The latter have often been the focus of research as Switzerland is the last Western European country not to have become a member of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA). The book claims that Switzerland’s position on the European integration map is different in terms of degree from many EU member states, but not different in kind. The cornerstone of the book is new empirical data quantitatively measuring Switzerland’s differentiated integration during the period 1990 – 2010. The data rely on the sectoral agreements Switzerland concluded with the EU and the voluntary incorporation of EU law into domestic legislation. The book shows, among other findings, that over time Swiss European policies have begun to resemble integration policies and that the more they did so, the more dynamically they evolved.