In 2004, Switzerland ranked as the 16th-biggest importer and 21st-biggest exporter of goods and the 10th-biggest importer and 18th-biggest exporter of services worldwide,1 a remarkable figure for a country with a population of less than seven-and a-half million persons. At the same time, it ranked 15th for inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) flows but 9th for outbound investment flows. The stocks of inbound FDI amounted to 50.6 per cent of Switzerland’s gross domestic product (GDP) thus ranking 13th, but the stocks of outbound investments exceeded Swiss GDP by 9.8 per cent or a notable 5th rank. Obviously, Switzerland’s external economy represents a vital component of its economy.