Global uncertainty boosts Swiss-EU talks, says Cassis

For Cassis, the global situation has helped the European dossier Keystone-SDA

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis says Switzerland’s talks with the European Union (EU) have been boosted by the current difficult global situation. In an interview, he suggested that the country has gained more from the negotiations than it realistically expected.

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“There’s a stronger sense of urgency in negotiations with the EU now than there was four years ago, when the global outlook was more stable,” Cassis said in an interview published on Saturday by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ). He added that close and reliable ties with Switzerland’s neighbours are becoming increasingly important.

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“Access to the European single market is crucial for Switzerland and will become even more so if other markets become harder to reach or offer less favourable terms,” he said.

“The publication of the EU agreements was a welcome boost after several intense and challenging months,” said Cassis. “I’ve seen a lot of public interest,” he added. “People want to understand the full scope of what we’ve negotiated – not just hear the same old buzzwords.”

The foreign minister believes the overall package of agreements is a good deal for Switzerland, but he’s not sure the public will see it the same way. “Today, I can confidently say the outcome has exceeded our expectations. […] At the same time, that also means I can’t imagine us finding a better solution to safeguard the bilateral path.”

He said Switzerland has secured more in the talks, particularly when it comes to the safeguard clause on free movement. “Most importantly, we’ve managed to protect the core principle: it’s still the free movement of workers that applies, not of citizens.” Only people with a job in Switzerland – or who can support themselves – are allowed to live here with their families.”

Translated from French with DeepL/sp

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