Brussels, 17/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter is of the opinion that the report from the Council of the EU, which takes note of the chilling of relations between the European Union and Switzerland, changes nothing (see EUROPE 11219).
This type of report is “not decisive” for the continuation of negotiations between Switzerland and the EU, Burkhalter stated on Tuesday 16 December, as reported by Swiss news agency ATS. “It's the usual doctrine. Nothing will change with this report”, he added. In Burkhalter's view, Switzerland and the EU are “condemned” to getting along.
The same day, the EU General Affairs Council approved a report on relations between the 28 EU member states and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), including Switzerland - a report that was adopted by the EFTA committee at the Council of the EU in early December (see EUROPE 11214). With Bern due to present its draft legislation in the coming weeks, which implements the 9 February referendum vote on the immigration of European workers, the EU member states are using strong language, reminding the Swiss authorities that the principle of the free movement of citizens is not negotiable. They also confirm the link between the measures that Bern will take in relation to the 9 February vote on the free movement of European workers and Switzerland's participation in the Schengen or Dublin agreements. The EU cannot be expected to accept amendments on “this crucial issue which characterises Europe” because of Switzerland, said Luxembourg's foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn. (SP)