Brussels, 12/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 12 February, the Swiss government announced a plan by the end of June and a draft law on immigration for the end of the year, with a view to implementing the result of the referendum on 9 February. The government was assessing the results of the people's referendum for the first time - a referendum obliging the government to establish quotas within the next three years for foreign workers.
“The Federal Council has fixed the initial stages on the legislation to be applied from the initiative on immigration. An implementation plan will be compiled by the end of June, then a draft law for the end of the year. Alongside this, discussions will be held with the European Union immediately”, Berne said in a press release.
Three days after the positive referendum result to change Swiss immigration policy, the EU was waiting for several points to be clarified by the Swiss Federal Council - particularly on extending the free movement agreement to Croatia. On Wednesday Berne had still not provided this degree of precision and stated that the decision to continue the process with the EU on this subject still required reflection. At the General Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday 11 February, EU ministers said that they were ready to sign the memorandum allowing free movement to be extended to Croatia - a new EU member state (the subject was adopted without debate). However, the Swiss government must first “clarify whether the extension of free movement to Croatia must be managed as part of a renegotiation of the bilateral agreement or if the issue must be settled beforehand”, the Council stated. The referendum question submitted by the UDC and backed by 50.3% of voters on Sunday has effectively obliged the Swiss government to renegotiate or adapt any relevant international treaty.
On Wednesday, the Federal Council promised to clarify “one by one the questions that are asked” and to reach “the best possible solutions both on the domestic and foreign level”. Berne also stated that it wanted the joint committee on free movement to meet as quickly as possible. This committee brings together Switzerland and the Schengen member countries. The committee is already due to meet in Brussels at the beginning of March, during the formal Council of justice and home affairs ministers. On Tuesday 11 February, the Council of the EU also confirmed (through point A) Switzerland's participation in the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), which helps the member states improve their asylum systems. Again it will be up to Berne to say whether Switzerland is to continue its participation in the arrangements currently in force, such as the Dublin regulation designating the country responsible for a request for asylum.
The permanent representatives will not come to a decision, on Thursday 13 February, on the mandate concerning the future institutional agreement, as the subject has been removed from the agenda of the meeting. (SP/transl.fl)