EU Parliament consents to BMVI agreement with Switzerland

Decision

The European Parliament gave its consent to the draft Council decision to conclude an Agreement with the Swiss Confederation on supplementary rules for participation in the BMVI, as recommended in A9‑0145/2024; the committee final vote was 43 in favour, 4 against and 6 abstentions. Parliament instructed its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and Switzerland.

What Changes

The Agreement sets out the supplementary rules enabling Switzerland to participate in the BMVI as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund for 2021–2027 and allows implementation in shared, direct and indirect management modes while applying Union principles and rules on financial management and control. It extends specific budgetary and control obligations to Switzerland including oversight by the Court of Auditors, OLAF and the EPPO, provides mechanisms for swift adjustments linked to key Union legislation and contains a provision on ETIAS.

Who Is Affected

The measure affects the Swiss Confederation, EU Member States and other Schengen associated countries participating in the BMVI, and the EU budgetary control institutions responsible for auditing and fraud prevention.