Andreas Schwab, a German member of the European Parliament who has spent 22 years focused on EU-Switzerland relations, says he is "totally optimistic" that Swiss voters will approve the bilateral agreement signed in March 2025, with a referendum expected in spring 2028. Schwab, whose constituency in southern Baden borders Switzerland, acknowledged that a rejection would be "a challenge" and could prompt the EU to push for an expansion of the 1972 free trade agreement to cover agriculture. He also played down fears that a June referendum on the SVP's (Swiss People's Party) "No 10-Million-Switzerland" initiative — which could threaten free movement and the bilateral framework if passed — would be a decisive setback, arguing that Switzerland has experience navigating difficult referendums and that what ultimately matters is how the country implements freedom of movement under the new treaty.