The European Commission said on Monday 26 September that the latest referendum to be held in Switzerland, in the canton of Ticino on Sunday 25 September, would not ease the task of the two parties in their search for a way to resolve the difficulties brought about by the outcome of the referendum of 9 February 2014 “against mass immigration”.
In the canton of Ticino, 58% voted in support of an initiative calling for businesses to give priority to Swiss workers over equally qualified and skilled foreign workers. “The EU and Switzerland are holding intense discussions to try to find the best way to respect the obligations of the free-movement agreement” (of 2002), commented Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas on Monday.
She pointed out that Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Johann Schneider-Ammamm, President of the Swiss Confederation, had met and discussed this matter on 19 September and were due to meet once again at the end of October to continue their discussions and assess the consequences of the Ticino vote (see EUROPE 11628). The 25 September vote “will not make life easy”, Schinas said.
Juncker has always made clear that the internal market’s four fundamental freedoms “are indivisible and, in the context of Switzerland, freedom of movement is essential”, added the spokesperson. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)