According to Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis, a long-awaited deal on Switzerland’s economic ties with the EU is in final stages, but “there is no more room for negotiation” on certain sticking points.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/vdv
In an interview with newspapers from the Tamedia group, Cassis also cast doubt on whether the Swiss would immediately sign on to a United Nations migration pact.
“We are actually at the end of our negotiations, but that doesn’t mean a deal with the EU is a sure thing,” the foreign affairs minister said of the framework agreement that the European Union has wanted for a decade. It would complement the roughly 120 bilateral accords already in place between the 28-nation bloc and Switzerland, making it easier for the Swiss to adapt to changes in the European single market and providing a better negotiating platform.
“Depending on how the government sees the quality of the [resulting agreement], it will be accepted or not,” Cassis said. “Both outcomes have their price. I stand by the fact that a good agreement is more important than a rushed one.”
Tough sell
Cassis said that room for negation has run out on points related to the free movement of people agreement with the EU, such as labour market measures meant to prevent the undercutting of wages and working conditions in Switzerland. He said political decisions would be necessary to overcome the impasse.
In mid-October, the European Commission indicated that talks had stalled over the framework agreement. The 28-nation bloc has threatened to hamper access to the EU stock markets for Swiss banks if Switzerland continues to block progress towards an accord. Failure to strike a deal would also stop any further Swiss access to the EU’s single market.
Cassis also said it would be “no catastrophe” if Switzerland did not immediately sign on to a United Nations migration accord, expected to be agreed at a conference in MoroccoExternal link in December. A Swiss senate committee advised on Friday that Switzerland not sign on to the pact before the government had provided more information about whether it would interfere with sovereign law.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Rhine could warm by up to 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
Defence Minister Pfister stresses importance of Swiss mission in Balkans
This content was published on
During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day
This content was published on
On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.
Swiss launch competition for memorial to Nazi victims
This content was published on
The victims of Nazi Germany are to be commemorated on the Casinoterrasse in Bern. A competition will be held to determine what the site will look like.
This content was published on
The cantonal police of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland have arrested and convicted five cocaine dealers in Chur within a week.
This content was published on
The Swiss business umbrella organisation Economiesuisse and the employers' association broadly support the package of agreements negotiated with the European Union.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss-EU deal: Cassis said to be mulling rescue with lighter version
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis wants to save the negotiations with Brussels with a massively reduced framework agreement.
‘50-50 chance’ of Swiss-EU framework deal before end of year
This content was published on
Swiss lawyer Jean Russotto sees a “50-50 chance” for Switzerland and the EU to reach a deal in the coming months to formalise ties.
Survey: nearly half of Swiss oppose an EU framework agreement
This content was published on
A survey by Tamedia shows that some 48% of Swiss are against an institutional framework agreement with the EU while 43% support it.
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.