Sometimes the phone is better than email...
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People in Switzerland worried about the aftermath of Brexit have been calling on the Swiss authorities for advice.
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swissinfo.ch and agencies
Since Friday – the day Britain announced it was leaving the European Union following a national referendum – more than 40 people have taken advantage of the special helpline set up by Switzerland’s foreign ministry.
As the ministry points out on its websiteExternal link: “Current regulations regarding Swiss citizens and companies remain applicable for the time being and nothing will change immediately.” Changes won’t come until there’s a formal withdrawal agreement between Britain and the EU.
Nevertheless, the ministry has decided to provide a 24-hour hotline to deal with any pressing questions Swiss citizens might have about Brexit’s effect on them. The number is 0 800 24-7-365. As the ministry told the Swiss News Agency on Saturday, it was expecting fewer calls over the weekend.
For now, Swiss citizens can continue to live and work in Britain under the current bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU. Similarly, Swiss companies can still offer their goods and services to Britain, and recruit British employees.
The Swiss government will evaluate the consequences of Brexit and get in touch with the British authorities to discuss the future.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.