Switzerland signs post-Brexit security provisions with Britain
Switzerland has agreed with Britain to maintain the flow of information on organised crime and terrorism even if Brexit ends with a no-deal situation.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter travelled to London on WednesdayExternal link to sign a memorandum of understanding that would cement policing and security cooperation whatever happens with Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Should Britain leave the EU without a deal, “all information from the British security services will be deleted from key EU databases such as the Schengen Information System,” read a Swiss government statement.
“In this case Switzerland, as indeed all other states in the Schengen Area, would no longer have access to this valuable information, making it all the more necessary to find alternative forms of cooperation and other information channels.”
Switzerland already has agreements on bilateral cooperation on policing matters with 16 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Austria and some eastern European states.
Keller-Sutter also rubber-stamped a previously announced deal covering workers taking jobs in each other’s respective countries. Switzerland and Britain have already agreed to preserve the rights for existing jobs.
The so-called “fallback agreement”, signed on Wednesday, goes one step to safeguard future access of new Swiss workers to the British labour market and the interests of firms in Switzerland seeking to recruit new British employees.
This agreement would only enter into force in the event of a no-deal Brexit and is limited in duration until December 31, 2020. In the event of an orderly Brexit the EU free movement of persons principle will continue to apply.
More
More
Brits to keep access to Swiss labour market in case of no deal
This content was published on
The Swiss government has approved a temporary agreement with Britain on access to the Swiss labour market in case of a hard Brexit.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
TradeXBank to resume full operations after Sberbank Switzerland taken off sanctions list
This content was published on
TradeXBank, the former Swiss branch of Russia’s Sberbank, will be able to resume its dollar-denominated activities from the second half of this year.
Geneva decides not to remove controversial memorials
This content was published on
The city of Geneva has presented an action plan regarding a series of controversial local statues and monuments of historical figures linked to racism, colonialism or slavery.
University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.
Ukraine peace conference should include Russia, says Chinese ambassador
This content was published on
China supports a peace conference on the Ukraine war that would see equal participation of all parties, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.
This content was published on
A majority of Swiss citizens have open attitudes towards various infertility treatments, including even egg donation, which is currently prohibited.
Reports of Swiss cyber fraud almost doubled in six months
This content was published on
The head of the new Federal Office for Cybersecurity (FOC), Florian Schütz, has presented a new strategy after just over four months in office.
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
Brits to keep access to Swiss labour market in case of no deal
This content was published on
The Swiss government has approved a temporary agreement with Britain on access to the Swiss labour market in case of a hard Brexit.
Swiss-British treaty extends worker residency rights post-Brexit
This content was published on
The residency rights of Swiss and British nationals already living in each other’s countries will be guaranteed after Britain leaves the EU.
Switzerland waives post-Brexit visa requirement for British nationals
This content was published on
The Swiss government has dropped the requirement that British nationals obtain a visa to enter Switzerland for a lengthy stay after Brexit.
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.