The present contribution aims at re-evaluating the role of language contact in theemergence of V2 phenomena in Rhaeto-Romance varieties. Through a survey onthe patterns of variation between V2 and V3 structures, the paper attempts (1) todetermine the position of Rhaeto-Romance varieties within the spectrum of V2languages devised by Cruschina & Sailor (2022), while also contextualising theirdevelopment from Old Romance in accordance with Wolfe’s (2019) diachronic typology, and (2) to verify whether it is possible to draw a direct correlation betweenhigher degrees of language contact and stricter V2 constraints. If, from a generalperspective, the varieties that are characterised by a closer and more prolongedcontact with German (such as Swiss Romansh and the Ladin varieties of SouthTyrol) generally appear to exhibit V2 more systematically, a closer scrutiny of thesingle varieties and their instances of micro-variation does not support the hypoth-esis of a direct proportionality between syntactic structures and language contact:other factors, such as information structure, appear to override the general predictions. Furthermore, as stated in Cruschina & Sailor (2022), the literature on thediachronic development of V2 has mostly been focused on the loss or preservationof V2, rather than its extension or emergence. The paper thus also takes into account examples of V2 structures that appear to be emerging among the youngestinformants of the Rhaeto-Romance varieties lacking a significant exposure to German influence (namely Friulian, Fassan and Fodom). Cumulatively, these observations (1) suggest that the syntactic system of Rhaeto-Romance presents a generaltendency to develop V2 (as argued by Kaiser & Hack 2013) and (2) confirm thatlanguage contact does not constitute a trigger for the emergence of V2 in Rhaeto-Romance. Rather, it can act as a catalyst for the retention or reinforcement ofpre-existing features.