Archive – Democracy

Justice minister faces EU peers in Brussels

This content was published on Mar 3, 2014 “Even post-vote, Switzerland still lies in the middle of Europe,” pointed out Sommaruga, the first Swiss cabinet member to visit EU headquarters following the controversial “Yes” vote. She and her cabinet colleagues must now submit a proposal to parliament. In addition to quotas, this means that Switzerland will have to renegotiate its bilateral accord with…

Fewer foreign bosses sign up to Swiss firms

This content was published on Mar 3, 2014 Switzerland’s largest 100 companies have traditionally employed a higher proportion of top foreign bosses compared to larger countries, such as Germany. In recent years, some 45% of executives have hailed from overseas as Swiss firms struggled to find enough resources in the small Alpine state. But the proportion of overseas executives dropped to 42% last…

‘Switzerland is definitely not a colony of the EU’

This content was published on Feb 25, 2014 On February 9, voters approved a move by the Swiss People’s Party to reintroduce quotas and have a national preference when filling job vacancies. It also stipulates that Switzerland will have to renegotiate its bilateral accord with the EU on the free movement of people within three years or revoke it. swissinfo.ch: Reaction from Brussels…

Is Swiss university prowess in jeopardy?

This content was published on Feb 20, 2014 Universities recently learned that their participation in the European Union’s Horizon2020 funding programme, as well as the Erasmus Europe-wide student exchange, could be withdrawn after the immigration vote, which calls for a re-negotiation of the free movement of people agreement with the European Union. University rectors have sent a letter to the Swiss government expressing…

Immigration: one vote, many questions

This content was published on Feb 20, 2014 Who is affected by the curb on immigration? The amendment to the federal constitution requires upper limits and annual quotas for immigrants. This could affect every foreigner who wants to move to Switzerland: EU citizens, workers from third (non-EU) states, cross-border workers and asylum seekers. Will there also be consequences for foreigners already living in…

After 20 years, Alpine truck traffic still not on track

This content was published on Feb 20, 2014 On that night of February 20, 1994, then-transport minister Adolf Ogi must have had trouble getting to sleep. The nation’s voters had just accepted the “Alpine Initiative”. The “yes” side had won with 51.9% of the votes and 19 cantons out of 26, and the popular Swiss People’s Party politician had just acquired the dubious distinction,…

Racism watchdog calls immigration vote a ‘setback’

This content was published on Feb 19, 2014 Sabine Simkhovitch-Dreyfus, vice-president of the Federal Commission against Racism, spoke to swissinfo.ch on the day Switzerland defended its race relations record before the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva as part of a regular country review. Drawing on the findings, she examines the impact of the recent vote in favour of…

Minister seeks damage limitation after immigration vote

This content was published on Feb 18, 2014 Burkhalter, who acts as Swiss president this year, held talks in Berlin and Paris on Tuesday to explain the government’s refusal to sign a labour market accord with new EU member Croatia as a result of the ballot on February 9. He pledged to find a solution to apply the vote result which is not…

EU freezes Switzerland out of research funds

This content was published on Feb 17, 2014 The Swiss government confirmed at the weekend that, as a result of the vote, it would not sign an already agreed deal to grant Croatian job seekers access to Switzerland. The European Commission responded by putting the research and education talks on ice. Participation in the €94.7 billion (CHF115 billion) Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ projects…

Swiss won’t sign Croatia free movement deal

This content was published on Feb 16, 2014 A spokesman told the Swiss news agency that the deal could not be signed “in its current form” after the February 9 vote in favour of curbing EU immigration. The two countries had agreed the free movement deal in summer 2013, shortly after Croatia joined the EU. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga called Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna…

Archive – Democracy

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Archive – Democracy

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Justice minister faces EU peers in Brussels

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Fewer foreign bosses sign up to Swiss firms

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‘Switzerland is definitely not a colony of the EU’

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Is Swiss university prowess in jeopardy?

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Immigration: one vote, many questions

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After 20 years, Alpine truck traffic still not on track

More

Racism watchdog calls immigration vote a ‘setback’

More

Minister seeks damage limitation after immigration vote

More

EU freezes Switzerland out of research funds

More

Swiss won’t sign Croatia free movement deal

Popular Stories

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