On Sunday, the deputy leader of Germany’s CDU/CSU parliamentary group told the NZZ am Sonntag paper that reports of Swiss border guards allowing asylum seekers to pass through Switzerland to reach their preferred destinations – such as France or Germany – was a case of “national egoisms [which] are damaging the Schengen Area”.
Andrea Lindholz was specifically referring to the situation at Switzerland’s eastern border, where up to 1,000 migrants per week, mostly young Afghans, are currently arriving but not applying for asylum.
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‘Switzerland is violating the Dublin accords by letting migrants pass through’
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The Swiss government should work out a common migration policy with its neighbours, says expert Etienne Piguet.
Keller-Sutter rejected the idea that letting the migrants move onwards amounts to a flouting of the “Dublin” rules of asylum for the 26 Schengen states: “if these people don’t apply for asylum, and simply travel onwards, then there is no Dublin process,” Keller-Sutter told Swiss public television SRF. Police can carry out checks, but cannot detain the migrants, she said.
Keller-Sutter added on Monday that she had also since contacted the German interior minister, who was for her part “a bit surprised” about the criticism reported in the Swiss press; notably, a spokesperson for the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had also told the NZZ am Sonntag that the Swiss practice was a violation of the rules.
Germany and Switzerland continue to cooperate well and to work together to tackle illegal migration, Keller-Sutter said.
Dublin difficulties
Dublin rules say the Schengen state responsible for processing an asylum application is generally the country of “the first point of irregular entry”. However, since 2015 and the large numbers of migrants arriving in Europe, policymakers in Brussels have been trying to reform the process to reduce the burden on border states like Greece and Italy and to redistribute the migrants more equitably across Europe.
In mid-October, the number of irregular crossings into the European Union reached its highest level since 2016, the European border security agency Frontex said.
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Swiss migration authorities struggling with ‘overlapping crises’
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The Swiss migration head says federal asylum centres are full and the situation is unprecedented since the Second World War.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Planned solar park at Bern airport scaled back after talks
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The ground-mounted plant at Belpmoos Airport outside the Swiss capital will be smaller than originally planned, the parties involved said on Tuesday.
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
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Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
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The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
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Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
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In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
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The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
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.
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How welcoming is Switzerland for refugees?
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Besides geography, politics and the solidarity of the population play a decisive role in determining which countries people flee to.
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.