Hans Hess (centre) says the time is right for Switzerland to agree an umbrella deal with the EU.
Keystone
Switzerland’s largest industrial employer, the Association of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries, has come out in favour of a controversial accord, covering relations with the European Union.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ug
العربية
ar
الصناعيون السويسريون يدعمون الإتفاق الإطاري مع الإتحاد الأوروبي
Hans Hess, president of Swissmem, said the draft agreement was tailor-made for Switzerland.
“I don’t think we can negotiate a better deal in three or four years,” Hess told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper.
He pledged to fight to maintain the system of bilateral treaties between the EU and non-member Switzerland, adding that Switzerland’s export industry was relying on access to the European market.
Hess said the framework accord also ensured legal certainty and the prospect of negotiating further deals, notably in the electricity sector.
He added that the price to pay for Switzerland is too high in case no agreement can be reached.
Hess appealed to the trade unions and other associations to reconsider their opposition, particularly over salary protection, in the light of the overall interest of the country.
His comments come after a controversial non-decision by the government on the framework deal earlier this month. Instead the document was put to a public consultation before it will be submitted to parliament.
The seven-member government was split over the deal and did not take position.
More
More
Framing the terms for future Swiss-EU relations
This content was published on
What’s it all about? The EU is clear that participating in its single market requires a consistent implementation and interpretation of the market’s continually developing set of rules. Therefore, Brussels expects that the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU will continue to be adapted to any potential legal developments in the future. Since 2014, the…
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
US tariffs: Pharma firms not planning job cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
The additional investments in the US will not lead to a reduction in jobs in Switzerland. This is according to pharmaceutical giant Roche, which expects the number of employees to remain stable in the current year. The position of Novartis is similar.
Switzerland is closely monitoring three livestock diseases
This content was published on
The spread of Lumpy skin disease, Bluetongue and African swine fever are keeping Swiss veterinary authorities on the alert.
Swiss writer wins European Prize for Political Culture
This content was published on
On Saturday, the Hans Ringier Foundation awarded the 91-year-old Zurich writer Adolf Muschg the European Prize for Political Culture.
Swiss government working with firms to overcome high US tariffs
This content was published on
The Swiss delegation that travelled to Washington has returned from talks on tariffs in the United States. The negotiations are now being conducted under the aegis of the government and the federal administration, according to Seco.
WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
This content was published on
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all
This content was published on
Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.
Swiss economics minister ‘will not accept EU diktat’
This content was published on
Johann Schneider-Ammann has said that he will not bow down to EU pressure to conclude a framework agreement by the end of the year.
Swiss government wants public consultation on EU framework deal
This content was published on
The Swiss government says it wants a public consultation before taking a final position on an “institutional framework” agreement with the EU.
This content was published on
With negotiations at a standstill, Switzerland is aiming for next year for a new treaty outlining relations with the European Union.
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.