Swiss minister likens EU deal to foundational Swiss ‘Rütli oath’

Federal Councillor Jans compares EU treaty package with the Rütli oath Keystone-SDA

Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans said on Sunday that a proposed new bilateral deal with the European Union (EU) represented a “mutual promise in difficult times – with partners who want to move forward together”.

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When it comes to opposition to the package of agreements, what bothers him most is the argument that “foreign judges” will have a say in Swiss legislation, Jans told the SonntagsBlick newspaper. He maintained that the opposite is the case, and that it is now clear how disputes between the two sides should be resolved.

Meanwhile a clause to limit immigration in certain cases offers flexibility and preserves Switzerland’s ability to act. “If the British had achieved this, there would have been no Brexit,” Jans said.

The minister also emphasised that this new clause was much more effective than the current one and that immigration could thus be limited without losing access to the EU single market. “Our chief negotiator Patric Franzen would be knighted in England for this – he and the entire negotiating delegation have done an excellent job,” said Jans.

Nevertheless, the government takes fears about population growth seriously, Jans continued. It is committed to a solution-oriented policy; however, an initiative to limit the population to 10 million does not solve any problems, but only creates new ones, he argued.

As Justice Minister, Jans also plans to intervene where he can in the case of rising rents, for example by tightening up the so-called Lex Koller. This would make it more difficult for foreigners to acquire too much residential property in Switzerland. The government also wants to boost non-profit housing construction to ensure affordable housing, he added.

Finally, Jans commented on the case of a Swiss woman who was recently refused entry to the US and who had to spend a night in prison. The foreign ministry took immediate action, he noted. “We cannot accept that our citizens are treated in this way by US border authorities,” Jans said, emphasising the importance of freedom of travel as a way to promote the exchange of ideas between people.

The example of the Schengen Area, for example, is a “success story”, he said.

Translated from German by DeepL/dos

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