Government launches campaign for bilateral accords with Europe

The Swiss government has launched a campaign to win support for Switzerland's bilateral accords with the European Union, ahead of a referendum in May. Four cabinet ministers kicked off the campaign by extolling the benefits of closer integration.

The Swiss government has launched a campaign to win support for Switzerland’s bilateral accords with the European Union, ahead of a referendum in May. Four cabinet ministers kicked off the campaign by extolling the benefits of closer integration with Europe.

The government is taking a hard-sell approach to the bilateral accords with the European Union. Kicking off the campaign, the foreign minister, Joseph Deiss, made it clear that every effort would be made to secure a “yes” vote in the forthcoming referendum on May 21.

He said rejecting the accords was not an option for Switzerland. At issue are seven agreements ranging from transport to the free movement of people. The deals are part of package, which the Swiss must either accept or reject in its entirety.

Deiss was supported by three cabinet colleagues, who listed the benefits the accords would bring.

The economics minister, Pascal Couchepin, touted the financial advantages, saying Switzerland’s economic prosperity depended on closer ties with Europe.

The economic benefits of the accords are seen as one of the government’s strongest arguments. The EU is Switzerland’s most important trading partner, accounting for more than two-thirds of trade.

Economic analysts predict that the accords will boost Switzerland’s GDP by as much as two per cent a year (or SFr8 billion until 2010). By contrast, the cost is estimated at around SFr800 million a year.

More difficult for the government are the accords governing transport and the free movement of people.

The task of extolling the benefits of the transport agreement was left to the minister in charge of that department, Moritz Leuenberger. He said the accord was designed to protect the environment, and that without it, the countryside would suffer.

Opponents of the accords have made much of this issue, warning that it will lead to Swiss roads becoming clogged with oversized lorries, increasing noise and pollution levels.

On the free movement of people, the interior minister, Ruth Dreifuss, took up the cudgels for that particular accord.

She is facing strong resistance from labour lobbies, who fear an influx of cheap labour will lead to lower wages and higher unemployment.

The government is also taking its campaign to the Internet. The ministries of economics and foreign affairs have posted their arguments on two websites, and invited Swiss voters to respond with their concerns.

swissinfo and agencies