Mario Gattiker has a wide range of experience dealing with the EU
Keystone / Peter Klaunzer
Mario Gattiker, the retiring head of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), will now take over tasks in Switzerland’s dossier with the European Union. The government has asked him to continue the analysis of differences in regulations between Switzerland and the EU.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
The Federal Chancellery confirmed to the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA on Saturday corresponding reports in Tamedia newspapers and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Relations between Switzerland and the EU deteriorated in May when the Swiss government unilaterally walked away from seven years of negotiations over an institutional framework agreement with Brussels.
The government discussed relations between Switzerland and the EU on Friday, which it will continue at a forthcoming meeting, the Federal Chancellery said. The results of the analysis of the differences between Switzerland’s and the EU’s regulations had been submitted to the government.
More
More
EU wants Swiss roadmap in place early next year
This content was published on
The EU says it wants to establish a concrete plan to re-open bilateral talks with Switzerland next year.
These regulations formed one of the bases for the discussion conducted by the government. The results of the analysis will be communicated as soon as the government has concluded its discussion, the Federal Chancellery said.
Gattiker, 65, was appointed director of the Federal Office for Migration in 2012 and since 2015 has been State Secretary of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). He will hand over the reins to his successor, Christine Schraner Burgener, at the end of December. Gattiker has a wide range of experience with the EU: among other things he headed the Swiss delegation to the Swiss-EU Joint Committee on the implementation of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between 2009 and 2016.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
Switzerland invites 160 delegations to June Ukraine peace talks
This content was published on
Russia is currently not among the delegations invited to talks aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.
Survey: air travel most popular way to go on holidays for Swiss
This content was published on
Despite the climate crisis, flying is the most popular mode of transport for private travel – particularly among young, urban and high-income travellers.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
This content was published on
From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
This content was published on
Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
Migration: Swiss government wants to shorten reunification period for families
This content was published on
Family members of people temporarily admitted to Switzerland should in future be able to join them after two years instead of three.
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 foreign minister pushes back against EU ‘deadline’
This content was published on
Switzerland will not be pressured by the European Union into premature negotiations until a political accord is first found, Ignazio Cassis has said.
Swiss and EU ministers have ‘good and friendly’ chat
This content was published on
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn have met in Brussels for informal exchanges.
Swiss migration chief calls for reform of European asylum policy
This content was published on
State Secretary for Migration Mario Gattiker has criticised the current European asylum policy of redistributing migrants rescued at sea.
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.