Slovak President talks Swiss-EU relations

Slovak President Andrej Kiska, left, and his Swiss counterpart Johann Schneider-Ammann, right, shake hands during the press conference Keystone

The presidents of Switzerland and Slovakia – which currently holds the Council of the European Union presidency – have been holding talks in Bern. At the heart of discussions: relations between the EU and Switzerland, which have been rocky of late.

A deterioration of the relationship “would not be of any use to anyone”, Slovak President Andrej Kiska told reporters on Friday.

Swiss voters in February 2014 narrowly approved a plan supported by the conservative right Swiss People’s Party to re-introduce immigration quotas for EU citizens, putting an additional strain on bilateral relations between Brussels and Bern. Negotiations are continuing on how to implement this vote.

“We presented the main points of where we are in the process and repeated our intentions and goals,” said Johann Schneider-Ammann, who holds the yearly revolving Swiss presidency.

Also present were Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter and Justice Minister Simmonetta Sommaruga, he said.

“Light” version

Schneider-Ammann said they also talked about the government’s compromise proposal for implementing the immigration curb. This is a watered down or “light” version to square the will of the Swiss people to reduce immigration with Switzerland’s obligation to allow the free movement of people within the EU.

It involves applying an emergency handbrake in times of economic stress by compelling companies to favour Swiss nationals when hiring for job vacancies. The suggestion has yet to become official government policy, but a firm decision on how to address the situation must be made within the next four months.

Bern has intensified contact with Bratislava this year, as Slovakia took over the Council presidency on July 1. Schneider-Ammann visited Slovakia in June, accompanied by his chief EU negotiator Jacques de Watteville.

Swiss-EU relations are good, Kiska said. He expressed confidence that a solution may come by the end of the year. But he did not want to give an opinion at this stage on the compatibility of the “light” solution with the free movement of people.

The day-long visitExternal link also encompassed a trip to the Swiss Federal Technology Institute ETH Zurich, as well as discussions on other EU issues such as Brexit, the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU.