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Liberal Greens want to revive European Economic Area (EEA) agreement

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Keystone / Michael Buholzer

The centrist party wants the government to negotiate Swiss membership of the EEA. 

The Liberal Greens want Switzerland to reattempt to join the EEA agreement. The previous attempt was rejected by the Swiss people in 1992. 

The party will table a motion next week to pressure the governing Federal Council to negotiate membership of the EEA, writes the SonntagsZeitung on Sunday.

“Since the Federal Council is not getting anywhere with the renegotiations of the framework agreement, a new version of the EEA would be the best and only promising option for putting relations with the EU back in order,” said party president Jürg Grossen. 

A study revealed on Friday that 71% of Swiss would approve of joining the EEA today. The proposal of the Liberal Green Party is supported by politicians from the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Centre.

Switzerland is part of the European Union’s (EU) internal market but is not a member of the EU or the EEA. 
 

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