Criticism voiced over terms for a new free trade deal with China
A parliamentary committee approved the Swiss government's approach to negotiating a new free trade agreement with China. Left-wing parties criticised the lack of binding regulations on the protection of human rights.
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The governing Federal Council wants to modernise the free trade agreement with China, which has been in force since 2014. There is talk of improved market access for the movement of goods and for Swiss service providers – including financial institutions – as well as simpler customs processes.
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives supported the negotiating mandate in an overall assessment by 14 votes to eight with two abstentions, as reported by the parliamentary services on Tuesday. At the same time, it called on the Federal Council to address the risks of dependence on critical and strategic raw materials and to include the situation of Tibetans in Switzerland in the negotiations.
However, the Committee narrowly rejected the idea of negotiating binding rules on the protection of human rights and the environment in the new free trade agreement. The Social Democrats and the Greens sharply criticised this stance in press releases issued on Tuesday. The Greens have already threatened a referendum against the new deal.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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