Deiss addresses key issues for Switzerland with EU leaders
The Swiss foreign minister, Joseph Deiss, is in Brussels on Tuesday for talks with the European Commission on combating cross-border crime and the controversial issue of tax evasion.
Deiss is meeting the EU Commission president, Romano Prodi and the commissioner for foreign relations, Chris Patten, as well as officials responsible for the expansion of the EU and budgetary issues.
Patten and the budget commissioner, Michaele Schreyer, are expected to press Switzerland for a new round of talks on fighting fraud. The EU council of ministers is scheduled to give the go-ahead to negotiations shortly.
One of the most controversial issues is likely to be the EU’s demand for non-member countries, including Switzerland, to signal their willingness to cooperate with an agreement compelling them to report the assets of non-residents.
The EU is hoping to start discussions next year as part of its efforts to crack down on tax evasion by EU citizens. However, Switzerland has already made clear that its banking secrecy is non-negotiable, and it will not provide such information.
Deiss is expected to press for further negotiations on issues not contained in the seven bilateral accords, which Switzerland has signed with the EU. Security and asylum policies top Deiss’ agenda, according to the Swiss foreign ministry.
The Swiss foreign minister is also likely to re-affirm that the government’s long-term aim is EU membership.
The parliaments of all 15 EU member-states are scheduled to ratify the bilateral accords with Switzerland over the next few months so they can come into effect in January. Swiss voters approved the accords on May 21 in a referendum.
Deiss is expected to review the state of the ratification process with the EU commission, as well as the possible effects on the bilateral accords once the EU expands.
He is also scheduled to meet a number of members of the European Parliament, including the former EU Commission president, Jacques Santer
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