Access to customers

Independent and yet a central component of the European Single Market: Choosing the Greater Zurich Area guarantees access to more than 500 million consumers in Europe. Switzerland also has free trade agreements with 40 partners outside the European Union, including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Canada.  

Easy access to the European market

The phrase “neutral as Switzerland” exists for a reason. Switzerland has a long tradition of political and economic stability thanks to its unique democratic system and excellent relations with the European Union (EU) and many other countries. Through a series of bilateral agreements with the EU, Switzerland is a member of the European Single Market. With the exception of agricultural and food products, there are no restrictions on trade between Switzerland and the EU. Additionally, the Schengen Agreement reduces barriers within Europe, and the Freedom of Movement Agreement ensures that citizens of Switzerland and the EU have the right to choose their place of work and residence within the territory of the contractual states. This ensures that companies based here have access to a huge pool of skilled workers. It should also not be underestimated that three of the four largest economies in Europe are neighboring states of Switzerland (Germany, France, Italy) - market cultivation from Switzerland can be very beneficial. A further advantage is that multilingual Switzerland (German, French, Italian, and Romansh) is not just ideally suited as a test market but also impresses with its strong purchasing power.

Free trade with China - unique in Europe

Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the  World Trade Organization (WTO) and has a network of currently 30 free-trade agreements with 40 partners outside the EU. The list includes important economies like China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Canada, Turkey or Indonesia. Further agreements - for example with the USA, Malaysia or Thailand - are in negotiation. Switzerland is even the only country on the European continent with a free trade agreement with China.

Intercontinental accessibility 

The Greater Zurich Area connects you with the entire world: It offers easy access to customers due to its central location in the heart of Europe and the fantastic transportation connections. Its dense network of roads and railways and the proximity to Switzerland's international airports guarantee ideal mobility. In addition, Swiss public transportation is known for its high degree of punctuality. Zurich Airport can be reached in about 60 minutes from almost anywhere in the Greater Zurich Area and from there the city center of Zurich can be reached in 12 minutes. From Zurich Airport, one of Europe’s leading airports, you can fly directly to over 160 destinations worldwide.