Trade Deal with Switzerland: Where Are the Jobs for Workers in England?

The British Government has hailed its new trade agreement with Switzerland as the most significant services trade deal the UK has ever negotiated.

Ministers say it could increase UK services exports by £5.2 billion a year in the long term, make travel easier for business, remove mobile roaming charges, introduce Swiss airport e-gates for British travellers and make it easier for professionals to work between the two countries.

There is no doubt that easier trade can create opportunities. Switzerland is already the UK's sixth largest services export market, with around £30 billion in annual services trade. Lawyers, accountants, architects, financial professionals and many other service providers could all benefit from simpler market access and more predictable trading arrangements. Businesses will also be able to provide services for up to 90 days without work permits, while employee transfers of up to five years will become easier.

The Workers' Perspective: Assessing Job Security and NHS Costs

However, from a trade union perspective, the announcement immediately raises a number of important questions.

A trade deal should never be judged solely on the value of exports or the number of headlines it generates. Workers want to know whether it creates secure, well-paid jobs in England, whether investment follows, and whether local communities actually benefit.

The Government has spoken about billions of pounds in extra exports, but where will those jobs be created? Which industries will expand? Which regions will receive new investment? How many apprenticeships will result? How many permanent jobs will be created rather than temporary contracts? At present, those answers remain unclear.

There are also wider issues that deserve scrutiny. The agreement locks in existing pharmaceutical intellectual property protections, something welcomed by the life sciences industry as providing certainty for research and investment. However, healthcare campaigners argue that maintaining longer exclusivity periods for medicines could delay cheaper generic alternatives and increase costs for the NHS.

Both arguments deserve proper public debate because workers rely upon both successful industries and a well-funded health service.

A Call for Transparent Jobs Impact Assessments

Trade agreements should also be measured against practical outcomes. If British companies gain greater access to Swiss markets, will they expand their workforce here? Will manufacturing, engineering and support services benefit alongside professional services? Will tax revenues increase and be reinvested into skills, infrastructure and public services? These are not anti-trade questions. They are questions about accountability.

The Workers of England Union believes every future trade agreement should be accompanied by a transparent Jobs Impact Assessment. Before Parliament approves any agreement, workers should be told how many jobs are expected to be created, where those jobs are likely to be located, which sectors will benefit and how success will be measured over time.

Without that information, it becomes difficult for ordinary working people to judge whether a trade deal is genuinely improving their lives or simply making international business easier. Trade agreements can play an important role in economic growth, but economic growth alone is not enough. Workers deserve to know whether that growth reaches their communities, strengthens local industry and creates lasting employment.

As further agreements are signed with the United States, India, South Korea, the Gulf states, the European Union and now Switzerland, the same questions should always be asked. Not simply: "How much trade?" but also: "How many jobs?, where will those jobs be? and who will benefit?"

Evaluating the Trade Deal Claims

So, the Workers of England Union will continue to ask on behalf of our members:

• Where are the new jobs?
• What areas of England will benefit?
• Which industries will receive investment?
• How many apprenticeships will be created?
• Will wages improve?
• How will the UK Parliament measure whether this deal has succeeded?
• What protections exist if the promised economic benefits fail to materialise?

Stephen Morris, General Secretary of the Workers of England Union, said:

"Trade agreements should be judged not simply by the value of exports but by the value they bring to working people. Every deal should answer three straightforward questions: Where are the jobs? Who benefits? And how will workers share in the rewards? If those questions cannot be answered clearly, then working people are entitled to ask whether the promised benefits will ever reach them."

References: (UK Government, Department for Business and Trade: UK-Switzerland Enhanced Free Trade Agreement announcement, 13 July 2026; Reuters: Britain and Switzerland look to boost services with new trade deal, 13 July 2026; The Guardian: Britons to use e-gates in Switzerland as £5.2bn trade deal announced, 13 July 2026; Financial Times: UK and Switzerland to loosen visa restrictions as part of services trade deal, 13 July 2026)

Key Takeaways

• Unclear Employment Gains: While the trade deal promises £5.2 billion in service exports, there are no concrete projections on localized job creation or regional investments.
• Healthcare Cost Concerns: Locking in pharmaceutical IP protections secures research certainties but may delay cheaper generic medicines, raising operational costs for the NHS.
• Demand for Accountability: The Workers of England Union is calling for a mandatory Jobs Impact Assessment to evaluate physical employment growth before any trade treaty is approved by Parliament.
• Asymmetry in Professional Perks: Key benefits like visa easements and travel perks primarily favor high-end professional services over domestic manufacturing or trade sectors.