Brussels, 22/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - The services of Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, confirmed on Tuesday 22 July that they were preparing a letter for the Swiss authorities, informing them that the EU rejects Switzerland's request to renegotiate the agreement on the free movement of persons, according to the newspaper Le Temps. This letter is expected to “be sent soon” according to Maja Kocijancic, Ashton's spokesperson. Following the referendum on 9 February last, the Swiss government is obliged to put forward a draft law on the reintroduction of quotas for foreign workers and thus to call on the EU to renegotiate the agreement on the free movement of European workers, in force since 2002. This request was made at the beginning of July. According to Swiss media, the EU is expected to say no to Switzerland, which will not come as any surprise because the member states and Commission have always stated that free movement was a non-negotiable principle. The timing of this letter, however, remains to be determined. Member state representatives are expected to meet on Thursday in the Coreper to discuss the draft letter, even though the subject features on the agenda only in “other business”. The response of the member states, however, is not expected to be substantially different. One Council source indicated that the answer to any renegotiation on this agreement would be a “categorical no”. (SP)