ked Switzerland as the world's fourth most globalised country, based on suchfactors as the share of trade in the economy, the level of foreign investment, and percapita use of international telecommunications and the internet.Politically distant, economically internationalDespite its economic presence worldwide, Switzerland, with its long tradition ofneutrality, has stayed out of large international organisations. In1986, voters rejected UNmembership, although Switzerland is a member of most of the organisation's specialisedagencies, and has contributed to some of the UN peacekeeping missions with personnel,logistical and financial support. The UN's European headquarters is in Geneva. TheSwiss government has announced its intention of seeking full membership of theinternational body. The issue is due for a popular vote in 2002. The Swiss also voted toremain outside the European Economic Area in 1992. All the neighboring countries -with the exception of Liechtenstein - are EU members. Switzerland is not. Despite this,Switzerland's most important trading partners are EU countries. The biggest partner isGermany, followed by France, Italy and the United Kingdom. In 2000 60% of exportswent to EU countries, and 78% of the imports came from EU states. In May 2000 theSwiss people approved a bilateral agreement with the EU that had taken 4 years tonegotiate, but in 2001 nearly 77% of the population voted against a proposal to start EUaccession negotiations immediately.The Swiss government, which called for the proposalto be rejected, has made it clear that it wishes to take the country into the EU...
