In an interview published in the SonntagsZeitung paper on Sunday, Cassis stressed that both sides have an interest in stable relations. Around 1.4 million EU citizens live in Switzerland, which is also the EU’s fourth largest trading partner.
“Unstable relations are not a long-term solution, either for us or for the EU,” said the president and foreign minister.
He acknowledged that the EU is trying to exert pressure on Switzerland by creating political ties and said that Switzerland must resist this pressure.
“We cannot simply abandon our principles, take wage protection and immigration lightly and put social harmony at risk,” he said.
An example Cassis used to illustrate the pressure exerted by the EU is discrimination in the fields of research and medical technology. In this way, the EU is also harming its own citizens, for example by reducing the choice of products in the field of medical technology, but also weakening the European research cluster, the Minister added.
Broader approach
In planning its future relationship with the EU, Cassis wants Switzerland to move away from “purely technical and institutional issues”.
“Only when we have enriched the content, when politics and society recognise the material gains that Switzerland can expect, will an institutional rapprochement be accepted,” he said.
According to Cassis, there are many such opportunities to deepen relations with the EU, for example in the areas of health, research, media or culture. The government is also listening to the ideas and proposals of civil society, he said. He referred to two roundtable sessions, including one held this week, where different points of view were discussed.
However, differences on how to move ahead with the relationship with the EU remain significant, said Cassis. He added that “if this were not the case, we would probably have solved the problem long ago”.
Last May, Switzerland decided to walk away from lengthy negotiations on an overarching institutional agreement with the EU to establish a new set of rules governing future bilateral relations.
Boating and swimming to be banned on part of River Aare in Bern
This content was published on
From September, the city and canton of Bern will be carrying out extensive construction work on the River Aare to protect against flooding and to renovate the Marzili outdoor pool.
Moutier: foreigners familiarise themselves with right to vote
This content was published on
From 2026, Moutier will be part of the Swiss canton of Jura, gaining more than 1,000 new voters. On Monday around 50 people were informed about their new rights.
Switzerland ‘more than ready’ to host Ukraine summit
This content was published on
Switzerland is more than ready to host a summit between Russia and Ukraine, says Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, highlighting Switzerland's expertise in this area.
This content was published on
Every second aircraft at Zurich Airport took off late this summer. However, the situation has already improved significantly compared to last year.
Swiss union federation demands average wage increase of 2%
This content was published on
The employees' umbrella organisation Travailsuisse is demanding an average wage increase of two percent for all employees in the coming year. This would cover the rising cost of living and make up for wage shortfalls in recent years.
‘Dr Pump’ sentenced for administering unauthorised substances
This content was published on
A Bern Regional Court has found the Solothurn doctor known as "Dr Pump" guilty of offences against the Sports Promotion Law. The man had administered unauthorised substances to patients.
This content was published on
Volunteering can have a positive effect on mental health. According to a survey conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, people who volunteer for others also strengthen themselves.
This content was published on
Twint is being used more and more frequently to make purchases at the till or transfer money to friends using a smartphone. By the middle of the year, the payment app already had more than six million users in Switzerland.
This content was published on
The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin should take place in Europe, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. He is calling for it to be held in Geneva.
This content was published on
Zug-based mining and commodities trading giant Glencore plans to inject more than a dozen billion dollars into the expansion of two Argentine copper production sites.
This content was published on
Citing “substantial differences”, the government has decided not to move ahead with a controversial institutional agreement on relations with the EU.
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.