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Young Swiss liberals hail Depardieu’s tax move

Members of the youth section of the Swiss Liberal Party (PLR) have written to French actor Gérard Depardieu inviting him to Switzerland if things don't work out in Belgium.

Young Swiss liberals hail Depardieu's tax move
Gérard Depardieu gestures during a photocall for the new Asterix film, Au service de Sa Majesté (God Save Britannia), on October 1st 2012 in Berlin. Photo: Johannes Eisele/AFP

Their letter, published in the internet edition of the daily paper Le Matin, congratulated him for having fled increased taxes in France.

"If it so happens that your stay in Belgium is disagreeable, you should know that we will always fight to ensure that Switzerland defends its full fiscal sovereignty," it added.

The letter, dated December 22nd, was signed by Philippe Nantermod and Maurus Zeier, who co-chair the party's youth wing.

What he saved in taxes by a move to Switzerland "you could give to Swiss cinema," they suggested.

The PLR holds 30 seats in the 200-seat parliament.

The 63-year-old French star threatened last week to give up his French passport and take up Belgian citizenship to protest the Socialist government's new tax hike on the rich.

He made the threat after French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called him "pathetic" for making Belgium his formal place of residence, a move meant to help the actor avoid the French tax.

Swiss commentators have argued that Depardieu's choice of new residence country is proof that Switzerland, already home to a number of wealthy French tax exiles including rocker Johnny Hallyday, is no longer Europe's tax haven of choice.

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POLITICS

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

France has vowed to prevent a trade deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc from being signed with its current terms, as the country is rocked by farmer protests.

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

The trade deal, which would include agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil, is among a litany of complaints by farmers in France and elsewhere in Europe who have been blocking roads to demand better conditions for their sector.

They fear it would further depress their produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.

READ ALSO Should I cancel my trip to France because of farmers’ protests?

“This Mercosur deal, as it stands, is not good for our farmers. It cannot be signed as is, it won’t be signed as is,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcasters CNews and Europe 1.

The European Commission acknowledged on Tuesday that the conditions to conclude the deal with Mercosur, which also includes Paraguay and Uruguay, “are not quite there yet”.

The talks, however, are continuing, the commission said.

READ ALSO 5 minutes to understand French farmer protests

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France opposes the deal because it “doesn’t make Mercosur farmers and companies abide by the same rules as ours”.

The EU and the South American nations have been negotiating since 2000.

The contours of a deal were agreed in 2019, but a final version still needs to be ratified.

The accord aims to cut import tariffs on – mostly European – industrial and pharmaceutical goods, and on agricultural products.

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