Swiss Abroad fear the consequences of a standoff with the EU

The panel discussion with members of the "Swiss Abroad" parliamentary group was chaired by ASO President Filippo Lombardi. Swisscommunity

The delegates of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) exchanged views with the members of the Swiss Abroad parliamentary group on the new treaties between Switzerland and the EU and the popular initiative 'No to a Switzerland of 10 million!'.

The topics discussed are diverse but they have one thing in common: they could affect the mobility of Swiss citizens – especially those living in Europe. And that’s a large number: 64% of all Swiss Abroad live in EU countries.

The Bilateral Agreements III – the package of agreements that regulates relations between Switzerland and the EU in several areas – formed the first topic of discussion in the round of talks between parliamentarians from the main Swiss parties and the members of the CSA present in Bern.

No benefits without obligations

The delegates from the diaspora emphasised the advantages of the agreements with the EU for Switzerland.

“Sustainable freedom of movement also requires accepting its rules. You cannot benefit from the advantages without assuming the associated obligations,” said Konstantin Kokinos, delegate for Greece.

Several delegates also directly questioned parliamentarian Roland Büchel, the representative of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party and the only opponent of the Bilateral Agreements III present. Can Switzerland truly benefit from the European market if it simultaneously rejects the corresponding framework? Are all Swiss People Party members really against the agreements with the EU? What would happen to Switzerland’s position as a center of science and its education programs if the agreements were rejected?

The concerns and arguments raised failed to budge Büchel. He criticised an agreement that, from his party’s perspective, had “nothing bilateral” about it and would oblige Switzerland to adopt foreign law – to the detriment of direct democracy.

This stance sparked reactions among the members of the CSA. “The time when Switzerland could live in isolation is over,” said Beat Knoblauch, the delegate for Australia.

Strengthening relations with neighbouring countries

Representatives of both the right and the center emphasised the economic and security policy challenges facing Switzerland.

For the Radical-Liberals, the bilateral approach remains indispensable. Laurent Wehrli, a parliamentarian from canton Vaud, pointed to the concrete consequences of a lack of agreements, citing a loss of CHF340 million in investments in medical technology in the cantons of Vaud and Geneva since 2022. “Trade with the US, China, or Israel will never compensate for a break with the EU,” he warned.

Centre Party parliamentarian Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter also emphasised the current geopolitical pressure.

“If there is to be a partnership, then it should be primarily with our European neighbours – countries that share the same democratic values,” she said.

Sophie Michaud-Gigon of the left-wing Green Party emphasised both European democratic values ​​and the concrete benefits of the agreements – from food security to economic exchange.

“We are talking about a trade volume of CHF300 billion per year, compared to CHF67 billion with the US,” she reminded the audience.

Following the panel discussion, the CSA members present voted on the Bilateral Agreements III. Swisscommunity

‘No walk in the park’

The outcome of the referendum remains uncertain. The adoption of the Bilateral Agreements III will be put to a vote by the Swiss electorate – at the earliest in 2027.

Wehrli warned that rejecting these agreements could render the Bilateral Agreements I and II invalid.

“We would revert to the 1972 free trade agreement – ​​with the risk of losing years of negotiations,” he said.

For Liberal Green Party parliamentarian Beat Flach, this would mean that individual agreements would have to be negotiated with each EU member state – “and thus the bureaucratic monster that the Swiss People’s Party criticises so often would be created”.

Schneider-Schneiter hopes that Swiss citizens living abroad will actively participate in the campaign for the bilateral agreements – a campaign which, according to her, will be “no walk in the park”. Several CSA delegates echoed this assessment, emphasising that the upcoming vote is crucial not only for the economy but also for their own personal circumstances.

Controversial debate on the Swiss population cap

The second topic of the panel discussion was the Swiss People Party’s ‘No to a Switzerland of 10 million!’ initiative. Three months before the vote, the debate surrounding the population cap initiative is gaining momentum.

The initiative submitted by the Swiss People’s Party aims to prevent the permanent resident population of Switzerland from exceeding 10 million before 2050.

What is the population cap initiative about?

The initiative text stipulates that measures must be taken to ensure compliance with the limit value, “particularly in the area of ​​asylum and family reunification,” as soon as the population exceeds 9.5 million.

According to the initiative’s text, Switzerland would have to renegotiate “international agreements that drive population growth” with regard to exception or safeguard clauses. If all this proves insufficient to comply with the 10 million population cap, the free movement of persons agreement with the EU would ultimately have to be terminated as a last resort.

While the government and the parliamentary majority reject the initiative and warn of new problems, its proponents see it as an instrument to regain control over immigration.

Schneider-Schneiter spoke out clearly against the proposal. She warned of serious economic consequences and pointed to the large number of workers who come to Switzerland as cross-border commuters or from abroad.

Left-wing Social Democratic Party parliamentarian Carlo Sommaruga also emphasised that Switzerland is heavily dependent on foreign workers. “Who will care for our parents? Who will build our houses?,” he asked.

Wehrli also made similar arguments. He criticised the initiative’s rigid focus on a single number: “Why 10 million and not nine or eleven?” Border regions in particular depend on foreign workers, for example in the hospitality or healthcare sectors.

Flach also objected to the population cap being sold as a sustainability measure. He claimed the Swiss People’s Party simply wanted to put a glass dome over Switzerland and isolate the country.

Gigon warned that the initiative jeopardises the bilateral agreements with the EU – a risk that also directly affects Swiss citizens living abroad.

In contrast, Büchel defended his party’s initiative. According to him, Switzerland is growing faster than many other countries, which is leading to an “enormous strain.” Immigration doesn’t just affect the labour market – and according to Büchel, many immigrants are not employed.

At the same time, he emphasised that even if the initiative were accepted, immigration would still be possible. The most important thing, he stressed, was that the existing problems be discussed openly.

Consequences for Swiss Abroad are rarely discussed

Although the initiative would potentially have far-reaching consequences, the impact of its adoption on Swiss citizens living abroad was only touched upon in the discussion.

These groups could be particularly hard hit. Should the initiative be implemented and, as a consequence, the free movement within the European Union be terminated, this would have direct repercussions for Swiss citizens living in the EU. Questions regarding residency rights, social security, and access to the labour market could arise anew.

It was only a comment from the audience that addressed this uncertainty, when someone asked whether Swiss pensioners might face difficulties in the future if they live in EU countries or if they want to return to Switzerland.

A comparison was also drawn with Brexit: this showed how complex and protracted the reorganisation of relations between states can be – often with unforeseen consequences for the residency rights of Swiss citizens abroad.

Despite these concerns, the question of how exactly the initiative would affect the approximately 800,000 Swiss citizens living abroad remained largely unanswered. The Council of Swiss Abroad is scheduled to decide on its position on Friday.

Edited by Balz Rigendinger. Adapted from German by AI/ac