Diplomatic relations between Italy and Switzerland have traditionally been close and are currently governed by a complex set of treaties (including those with the European Union (EU), of which Italy is a member).[1]
The two countries share a long border, three common languages (Italian is one of Switzerland's four official languages, German and French are recognised minority languages in Italy; moreover, Romansh is close to Ladin and Friulian, spoken in Northern Italy) and a regional language (Lombard spoken in Canton Ticino and the Lombardy Region).[2] Valtellina in the Lombardy region was part of Switzerland from 1512 to 1797.[3] There are 48,000 Swiss in Italy and Italian citizens are the largest foreign group in Switzerland: 500,000 including those with dual citizenship. Switzerland was a popular destination for Italian emigrants in the 19th century and between 1950 and 1970 half of all foreigners in Switzerland were Italian. There are also more Swiss schools in Italy than any other country in the world.[1]
Relations between the two countries are represented through a range of commercial, cultural and technological relationships.
Italy is not only the second largest trading partner in Europe, but also shares with the Federation a collaboration in migration. Cooperation strengthened by the better application of the Dublin Regulation, specifically on readmission matter.
A further step has been taken with the agreement on customs and police cooperation on cross-border control and security.
Before the birth of the Italian state in 1861, the relations between Italian state entities and the Swiss territories were of an economic and religious nature. During 1300–1400, for example, Italian merchants and bankers participated at Geneva fairs contributing to their development.
Switzerland established Milan as a protectorate of the Confederation between 1512 and 1515.[14] In 1515, the Swiss helped defend the Duchy of Milan against a French invasion.[15]
In the period of Restoration (1815-1848) the Lombard Enlightenment had an important influence on the Swiss territories, Milan, in fact, became a place of education for the Ticinesi.
During the Revolutions of 1848 in the Italian states many Swiss supported the Italian cause, in particular, in the five days of Milan Swiss volunteers fought with the Lombardy-Venetia against the Austrians. Following the capture of Milan in August 1848 some Italian revolutionaries took refuge in Switzerland.[16]
In the Risorgimento era, various Italian patriots, including Cavour, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, became interested in conquering the Ticino Canton and the Italian-speaking valleys of Graubünden. The proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 was perceived with relief by Switzerland, as it provided security for the country's neutrality.[17]
Between 1870 and 1914 there was a large influx of Italian immigrants into Switzerland. This was encouraged by the 1868 treaty of domicile and consulate which ensured freedom of access and domicile in the respective countries. Italian immigrants constituted unskilled labour employed mainly for the construction of railways.
During the First World War the Italian government was committed to respecting Swiss neutrality and after the war with the establishment of Fascism, bilateral relations were characterized by a policy based on friendship. The two countries concluded a new treaty of commerce (1923) and a treaty of conciliation and judicial regulation (1924).[16]
As in the First World War also in the Second World War Italy recognized the neutrality of Switzerland in 1938, but among the expansion projects exposed by Mussolini on November 30, 1938, to the Great Council of Fascism there was also the Canton of Ticino.[18]
With the end of the Second World War there was a wave of migration to Switzerland mainly due to the fact that the Swiss production system was not affected by the damage of war and Swiss entrepreneurs sought low-cost Italian labour. The Swiss government, however, tried to limit the migration to seasonal work and concluded an agreement in 1948. This agreement stated that workers could not move in Swiss territory and remained tied to those who had hired them. In addition, family reunification was not allowed. This agreement created several tensions between the two countries and for this reason another one was signed in 1964 that allowed reunification.[19]
Following the oil crisis that began in 1973, many Italian workers in Switzerland returned to Italy.
Business Relations
Italy is Switzerland's second largest trading partner and Switzerland is Italy's 8th largest investor (CHF 22bn) creating 78,000 jobs. The Lombardy Region represents 90% of all Switzerland's trading with Italy according to former federal councillor Ueli Maurer.[20] Italy invests CHF 6bn in Switzerland and creates 13,000 jobs.[1] The two are strongly integrated through the EU's treaties with Switzerland and Switzerland is also part of the EU's Schengen Area.
History of Economic Relations
Trade relations between the two countries were favored by geographical proximity and their membership in the Latin Monetary Union. The opening of the Gotthard tunnel and the port of Geneva also favored relations.
The Italian protectionist turn in the 1970s led to a partial slowdown of trade relations, which created the condition for a revision of trade treaties. Although the revision took place, trade balance remained clearly in favor of Italy.
Until 1970 the Swiss market was the only one with which Italy benefited from a constant trade surplus, already at the beginning of the 20th century Swiss investors and companies gave important impulses to the peninsula.
Bilateral trade was not visibly affected by Italy's participation in war, a clear sign was the opening of Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Italy in 1919. This period was also characterized by a relative decrease in Swiss imports from Italy although exports remained constant, this turned out on the reduction of trade balance favorable to Italy.[21]
After the war in Ethiopia, the Swiss financial center and in particular the credit institutions, played a central role in the transfer of credit to Italy.
The end of the Second World War gave a new start to bilateral trade:
In 1950 both countries joined the European Payments Union.[22] As a result, new trade agreements and payment methods led to a new period of liberalization of bilateral trade and stability in terms of trade volume.
This period is featured by a large amount of investment from the Confederation to the peninsula:
The Swiss financial center stood out for its fundamental role in the assignment of receivables to Italian companies and institutions. State railways received a loan from the Swiss financial center and used it to strengthen and electrify the railway lines that connected northern Italy to Switzerland.
About 50% of the Swiss FDI in Italy was concentrated in the north of the country. The importance of Swiss direct investment in Italy was often explained by the influx of Italian capital illegally exported to the confederation, which made Lugano the third financial center of the country.[23]
Contemporary economic relations
Switzerland is one of Italy's most important trading partners. In 2021, Switzerland exported goods worth US$13.2 billion to Italy and imported goods worth US$32.2 billion, resulting in a total trade volume of US$45.4 billion. Investment flows in both directions are of major economic significance for both countries.[24]
In 2020:
Swiss direct investments in Italy amounted to EUR 28.9 billion
Italian direct investments in Switzerland totaled EUR 18.4 billion.[25]
Exchanges are close in border regions. Over 70000 Italians cross the border to work in Switzerland. At the end of 2017 there were about a thousand Italian companies in Switzerland, which hire 21,000 employees, mainly in the following sectors: clothing, finance, food and construction. Specifically for the construction sector, the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Switzerland, has launched an initiative called Investment4Business,[26] which facilitates and promotes investments in real estate business between the two countries.[27]
Cultural Exchange
Italy and Switzerland have close relations also in the cultural field.
The "Istituto Svizzero"
In 1947 Switzerland founded the “Istituto Svizzero di Roma”, which was created to enhance the cooperation between Italy and Switzerland in the cultural and the scientific fields. This institute participates in various projects like the “settimana della lingua italiana nel mondo” which is an initiative of the Italian foreign ministry.[28] The institute aims to extend the influence of Switzerland culture beyond its borders.[29] The structure offers exhibitions, conferences, meetings in Rome, Milan, and Palermo. Every year the institute hosts young researchers or artists. Exchange students attending these programs study Italian, which is one of the four Swiss national languages.[30]
The institute supports Swiss projects and research in Italy. In this way the cooperation and the cultural and scientific exchange between the two countries is enhanced. The main objectives of the structure are:
Offer young people the possibility to develop their projects (scientific or artistic) and to participate actively in the Italian activities.
Develop artistic and scientific collaborations between Switzerland and Italy.
Promote Swiss education, research and innovation in Italy
Italy and Switzerland diplomatic relations are based on the conclusion of 22 treaties[31] and on regular meetings between the representatives of the two governments.[1]
The foreign relations of Switzerland are the primary responsibility of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Some international relations of Switzerland are handled by other departments of the federal administration of Switzerland.
The "Swiss Psalm" is the national anthem of Switzerland.
Campione d'Italia, is a comune of the Province of Como in the Lombardy region of Italy and an enclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino. It is also an exclave. At its closest, the enclave is less than one kilometre (0.6 mi) from the rest of Italy, but the intervening mountainous terrain requires a journey by road through the Swiss village of Bissone of over 14 km (9 mi) to reach the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Intelvi, and over 28 km (17 mi) to reach the city of Como.
Röstigraben is a term used to refer to the cultural boundary between German-speaking and French-speaking parts of Switzerland, the latter known in French as the Suisse romande. There is also the term Polentagraben, referring to the boundary between German-speaking cantons, and the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino.
Switzerland is not a member state of the European Union (EU). It is associated with the Union through a series of bilateral treaties in which Switzerland has adopted various provisions of European Union law in order to participate in the Union's single market, without joining as a member state. All but one of Switzerland's neighbouring countries are EU member states.
The Italian language in the Italian Switzerland or Swiss Italian is the variety of the Italian language taught in the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland. While this variety is mainly spoken in the canton of Ticino and in the southern part of Grisons, Italian is spoken natively in the whole country by about 700,000 people: Swiss Italians, Italian immigrants and Swiss citizens with Italian citizenship.
A Swiss passport is the passport issued to citizens of Switzerland to facilitate international travel. Beside serving as proof of Swiss citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Swiss consular officials abroad.
Diplomatic relations between Switzerland and the United States were established in 1853 by the U.S. and in 1868 by Switzerland. The first diplomatic representation of the U.S. was established in Basel in 1853.
Russia–Switzerland relations are foreign relations between Russia and Switzerland. Switzerland opened a consulate in Saint Petersburg in 1816, upgrading it to a legation 90 years later. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations in 1923, when Russia was going through a period of revolutionary turmoil – and they were not resumed until 1946.
Iran–Switzerland relations are foreign relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Swiss Confederation.
Foreign relations exist between the alpine nations of Austria and Switzerland. Both countries have had diplomatic relations since the Middle Ages. The Habsburgs, who ruled Austria for more than six centuries, are originally from Aargau, Switzerland. The two countries are predominantly German-speaking. Austria has an embassy in Bern, a general consulate in Zürich and seven honorary consulates. Switzerland has an embassy in Vienna and six honorary consulates. Together, both countries organized the Euro 2008.
Swiss–Turkish relations are foreign relations between Switzerland and Turkey. Switzerland has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Bern and consulates-general in Zürich and Geneva. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the OECD, the OSCE and the WTO.
Italy–Mexico relations are the bilateral relations between Italy and Mexico. Both nations are members of the G20, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations.
Italy–South Africa relations are foreign relations between the Italian Republic and the Republic of South Africa. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1929. Italy has an embassy in Pretoria, a consulate-general in Johannesburg and a consulate in Cape Town. South Africa has an embassy in Rome and a consulate-general in Milan.
Switzerland–Uruguay relations are foreign relations between Uruguay and Switzerland. Both countries share a long history of mutual economic relations, and they established diplomatic relations in 1828. Uruguay became a popular destination for Swiss migrants starting in the 1860s. In the 20th century, Uruguay has looked to Switzerland as a model for government, historical and cultural ties go back to at least the 19th century. There were 956 people with Swiss passports residing in Uruguay in 2008. Uruguay was described as the "Switzerland of the Americas" in a 1951 New York Times article for its popularity as a haven for capital fleeing Europe at the time and its adoption of Swiss-inspired banking laws. Thomas J. Knight also wrote that "Uruguay has for most of its history been the 'Switzerland' of South America."
The territorial evolution of Switzerland occurred primarily with the acquisition of territory by the historical cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy and its close associates. This gradual expansion took place in two phases, the growth from the medieval Founding Cantons to the "Eight Cantons" during 1332–1353, and the expansion to the "Thirteen Cantons" of the Reformation period during 1481–1513.
The border between the modern states of Switzerland and Italy extends for 744 kilometres (462 mi), from the French-Swiss-Italian tripoint at Mont Dolent in the west to the Austrian-Swiss-Italian tripoint near Piz Lad in the east. Much of the border runs across the High Alps, rising above 4,600 metres (15,100 ft) as it passes east of Dufourspitze, but it also descends to the lowest point in Switzerland as it passes Lago Maggiore at below 200 metres (660 ft).
Brazil–Italy relations are the diplomatic relations between Brazil and Italy. Both nations enjoy friendly and semi-privileged relations, the importance of which centres on the history of Italian migration to Brazil. Approximately 31 million Brazilians claimed to have Italian ancestry making it the largest number of people with full or partial Italian ancestry outside Italy, with the Brazilian city of São Paulo being the most populous city with Italian ancestry in the entire world. Both nations are mutual members of the G20 major economies, United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
India–Switzerland relations, or Indo-Swiss relations, are the bilateral relations between the Republic of India and Switzerland.
Bangladesh–Switzerland relations refer to the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Switzerland.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
