Brussels, 12/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - A year after the mass referendum calling for the introduction of a quota on foreign workers in 2017, including Europeans, the Swiss government made an announcement on Wednesday 11 February that it would extend quotas on foreign workers after a four-month stay in the country.
The authorities also adopted their negotiating brief for the revision of the free movement agreement with the EU that has been in force since 2002. This agreement will need amending in light of the referendum.
The EU is not, however, prepared to negotiate the principle of free movement. Jean-Claude Juncker pointed this out around two weeks ago, during a meeting with the President of Switzerland, Simonetta Sommaruga and pointed out that their respective interpretations were “very far removed”. On 12 February, the European Commission pointed out that it was expecting Switzerland to “honour its commitments”, according to a statement by the spokesperson.
According to the preliminary bill put forward by Switzerland, quotas will be reintroduced for all foreigners after they have been in the country for four months. These quotas will also apply to frontier workers, members of the family of foreign workers living in Switzerland, people who do not earn a living, as well as refugees and people admitted temporarily. The Federal Council will set out the maximum number and quotas, which will be based on the needs for labour decided by the respective cantons and immigration committee.
The preliminary bill does not contain a rigid reduction rate, explains the government. Switzerland also wants to use indigenous Swiss labour better “whose potential is not being used enough at all, particularly women and more elderly workers”.
According to Swiss media sources, Simonetta Sommaruga wants to “reconcile the demands within the initiative on mass immigration with Switzerland's European obligations, which is a difficult but not impossible exercise”. There are possibly three outcomes for talks with the EU: Switzerland gets everything, nothing or something in between. This will also apply to the reception the project will get and which is currently in consultation, added Simonetta Sommaruga. The Swiss leader also indicated that “far ranging” consultations would take place between Switzerland and the EU on this dossier. (Solenn Paulic)