Bern and Berlin take off again on flight noise

Chancellor Angela Merkel received a warm welcome from Swiss Interior Minister Pascal Couchepin Keystone

Switzerland and Germany have agreed to a fresh start in efforts to solve a long-standing dispute over flight noise from Zurich airport.

The move was announced on Tuesday after talks near Bern between the Swiss President, Pascal Couchepin, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

A working group, which has been inactive for two years, is to meet again to try to work out an accord on noise levels caused by flights into and out of the airport passing over nearby German territory.

Couchepin said the two sides wanted to create new mutual trust on the issue, while Merkel – on her first official visit to Switzerland – said Bern should present a concrete offer to help solve the dispute once the working group had come up with results.

The group, which includes representatives of the Swiss Federal Civil Aviation Office and the German transport ministry, is to prepare a study on the noise pollution problems on each side of the border.

In 2003 the Swiss parliament rejected an agreement aimed at satisfying both countries, a move that prompted Berlin to impose restrictions on inbound flights to Zurich, Switzerland’s busiest airport.

No “package” deal

Commenting on recent suggestions of tying the issue to other areas, including the problem of trucks that have to queue up at the border because of Swiss night-time restrictions, Merkel spoke out against any “package” deal.

On the subject of tax evasion, which is another thorny issue between the two countries, Merkel noted that banking secrecy was part of Swiss identity.

However, she said she hoped for an “intensified” dialogue with Switzerland about European directives on savings tax.

Tax evasion came to the fore in February when the Berlin authorities acquired computer discs containing information on accounts held by German taxpayers in Liechtenstein, which threw some suspicion also on Switzerland.

Merkel also said that during her talks, Swiss Finance Minister Hans-Rudolf Merz had indicated Bern would continue dialogue with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development regarding the exchange of information between countries.

“Sceptical”

The discussions, attended by Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Transport Minister Mortiz Leuenberger, also touched on the gas deal signed between a Swiss company and Iran in March.

Without directly criticising the Swiss, Merkel commented that she was “sceptical” about too much dependence on Iran and about Iran’s nuclear programme.

Couchepin answered by saying the accord was part of a large project aiming to bring gas to Europe not only from Iran but also elsewhere. He stressed the importance for Europe of diversifying its energy supply.

After her talks in Bern, Merkel – who studied physics – travelled to Geneva for a visit to Cern, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, where she examined the huge Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.

Germany is the largest contributor to Cern, providing almost 20 per cent of the organisation’s budget. The laboratory employs 200 German staff, including almost 100 physicists.

swissinfo with agencies

Close neighbours

Germany is by far Switzerland’s biggest trading partner.

In 2007, Switzerland imported goods and services worth a total of SFr184 billion, including SFr62.2 billion from Germany.

Swiss exports were worth SFr197.4 billion last year, including SFr41.2 billion to Germany.

Services account for 40% of trade between the two countries.

Germany purchased €11.9 billion in services (not including travel) from the Swiss in 2007 and sold €8.6 billion.