Switzerland is committed to strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system
Bern, 16.03.2026 — Switzerland, together with other partner countries of the “Future of Investment and Trade Partnership” (FIT Partnership), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the rules-based trading system and to effective WTO reform. The adopted ministerial declaration sends an important signal in support of open and reliable global trade.
Costa Rica, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Rwanda, Singapore, Switzerland, and Uruguay reaffirm their support for an open, predictable, and transparent global trading order with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core. The non-legally binding declaration emphasizes that comprehensive WTO reform remains essential so that the multilateral trading system can effectively address current and future challenges.
The declaration highlights several key areas in which the FIT partners intend to cooperate both among themselves and with other WTO members to promote the WTO’s capacity to act. These include, in particular, efforts to strengthen core WTO functions as part of WTO reform, including decision-making. It also reaffirms that tariffs on electronic transmissions should remain suspended to keep cross-border digital flows open and facilitate participation in digital trade and global value chains. The declaration further lays the groundwork for further work, particularly on the faster implementation of the outcomes from plurilateral initiatives and the incorporation of external expertise.
For Switzerland, which is closely integrated into global value chains, a predictable multilateral trading system remains central. Its participation in the declaration demonstrates its commitment to open markets and its willingness to work constructively with partners sharing similar trade policy objectives to modernize and strengthen the WTO.
The FIT Partnership brings together small and medium-sized open economies from all regions of the world that face similar challenges in the face of geopolitical tensions, disrupted supply chains, and growing trade policy uncertainties. Since its launch in September 2025, the initiative has launched several thematic workstreams in the field of trade, including a first joint declaration on supply chain resilience. As a co-founder, Switzerland is actively involved in the continued development of the partnership.