free movement of persons

Key data

Date of signing: 21 June 1999 (in the framework of Bilateral Agreements I)
Approval by the electorate: 21 May 2000 (67.2 % in favour)
Date effective: 1 June 2002
Signing of FMP Protocol I (for countries that joined the EU in 2004): 26 October 2004
Approval of Protocol I by the electorate: 25 September 2005 (56 % in favour)
Entry into effect of Protocol I: 1 April 2006
Signing of the FMP Protocol II (extension to Bulgaria and Romania): 27 May 2008
Approval by Parliament of continuation of the Agreement and of Protocol II: 13 June 2008.
Approval by the electorate: 8 February 2009 (59.6% in favour).
Entry into effect of Protocol II: 1 June 2009
End of labour market restrictions vis-à-vis the EU-8: 1 May 2011
Invocation, on 18 April 2012, of the safeguard clause for the EU-8 member states
Invocation of the safeguard clause for the EU-8 member states extended for one further year: 24 April 2013
Invocation of the safeguard clause for the other 17 EU member states for one year: 24 April 2013
Adoption of the popular initiative “Against mass immigration”: 9 February 2014