SHARE
COPY LINK

EUROPEAN UNION

‘Momentum’: Switzerland signals readiness to return to EU talks

Switzerland on Wednesday signalled readiness to resume talks with the EU towards a cooperation agreement, after shocking its largest trading partner in 2021 by suddenly cutting short years of negotiations.

'Momentum': Switzerland signals readiness to return to EU talks
Switzerland signals its ready to return to talks with the EU. Photo: François WALSCHAERTS / AFP / POOL

The Swiss government said it had given the green light during a closed session Wednesday to “draw up key parameters for a negotiating mandate” with the European Union.

It said in a statement the foreign and justice ministries, along with the ministry of economic affairs, education and research (EAER), had been asked to prepare such parameters by the end of June.

At the same time, “work will continue to clarify common ground with the EU in order to start negotiations”.

Ties between Brussels and Bern have been strained since Switzerland suddenly decided in May 2021 to end years of discussion towards a broad cooperation agreement with the bloc.

EU-Swiss ties are currently governed by a patchwork of agreements, and for more than a decade discussions were ongoing towards an overarching accord that would have harmonised the legal framework governing the relationship.

But the talks hit an impasse after the EU refused to budge on Swiss demands to exclude key issues relating to state aid, wage protections and freedom of movement.

Since then, Switzerland has been trying to pick up the pieces and establish common ground with Brussels through so-called exploratory discussions.

So far, eight rounds of such exploratory talks have been held, with the next such discussions due on April 20, Bern said, adding that technical talks were also taking place on a weekly basis.

“These have led to a detailed understanding of both sides’ positions and possible solutions in the individual dossiers,” it said.

‘Positive momentum’

Following an in-depth domestic and foreign policy assessment, the government said it had noted “positive momentum” in the discussions held at various levels.

“The task now is to work out solutions for the remaining outstanding issues, in order to establish common ground for the preparation of a negotiating mandate,” it said.

The government said it still wanted to see a “package approach” in the negotiations.

Rather than a single agreement regulating institutional issues by for instance requiring the adoption of EU law developments and supervision, it said it preferred seeing the development of a whole package of new specific agreements, focused on things like electricity, food safety and health.

“This approach enables a broad balance of interests and increases the chances of success in any subsequent negotiation,” the statement said.

On the contentious issue of wage protection, the government said it had instructed the EAER to work closely with Switzerland’s 26 cantons and social partners to draw up proposals towards supplementary measures securing current levels of protections on the domestic labour market.

It said the departments responsible had also been instructed to “clarify the outstanding issues relating to electricity, land transport and health”.

State secretary Livia Leu, Switzerland’s chief negotiator with the EU, had been tasked with “finalising the common basis for future negotiations”, it said.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

POLITICS

Swiss hard right crowns farmer as new leader

The hard-right Swiss People's Party, Switzerland's biggest political party, on Saturday anointed as its new leader hill farmer Marcel Dettling, a hardliner on asylum and immigration.

Swiss hard right crowns farmer as new leader

The lawmaker was unanimously elected at a party conference in Langenthal, northern Switzerland. He was the only candidate to stand for the leadership of the SVP, which comfortably topped the Swiss general election in October.

Dettling, 43, had been the election campaign manager and a party vice president.

Dettling is a member of the National Council lower house of parliament, representing the central Schwyz canton, and has served as party vice president.

“We will continue to defend our freedom and independence in the future and will not allow ourselves to be bullied by foreign rulers,” he said.

On the question of closer ties with the neighbouring European Union, he added: “In Switzerland, it is the people who govern, and not bureaucrats in Brussels.”

The SVP has come a long way from its roots as a farmers’ party in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

It became a national force focused on opposition to mass immigration, to closer ties with the EU, and to the abandonment of Swiss neutrality.

Dettling is considered on the harder wing of the party on immigration. His parliamentary interventions typically concern asylum and agriculture.

Outgoing leader Marco Chiesa had decided not to stand again at the end of his term.

Chiesa has led the SVP since August 2020 and in October 2023 took the party to the third-best result in its history, winning 28 percent of the vote and nine more seats in the National Council.

The SVP’s election campaign had focused on the fight against “mass immigration” and the prospect of the Swiss population –currently 8.8. million — reaching 10 million.

It also launched a war on “cancel culture” and what it called “gender terror and woke madness”.

Delegates gave Chiesa a standing ovation on Saturday.

The seven seats in the Swiss government are shared out 2-2-2-1 among the four largest parties. The government, or Federal Council, takes its decisions by consensus and collective responsibility.

The SVP’s two government members are Economy Minister Guy Parmelin and Environment Minister Albert Rosti.

SHOW COMMENTS