On Monday 29 April, the European Commission considered that Switzerland still had time to conclude the institutional framework agreement, a provisional draft of which was finalised last December in Berne but without being formally approved by the Federal Council (see EUROPE 12155/36).
The institution's spokesman, Margaritis Schinas, replied to comments made by the new head of Swiss trade unions, Pierre-Yves Maillard, over the weekend, in which he said that the institutional framework agreement with the EU was “dead”. Switzerland has the highest wages in Europe and cannot allow an uncontrolled opening of its labour market due to the risk of wage pressure, he explained.
For the Commission, “talks are still ongoing” (the consultation launched in Switzerland at the beginning of the year). There is a text that has been “approved with our Swiss partners” and the “possibility to conclude[the framework agreement] is closing this summer”, added the spokesman, also based on the conclusions of the EU Council adopted last February which “unanimously supported the Commission and asked the Federal Council to give the green light to the text of the agreement” (see EUROPE 12193/26).
The text of the agreement is “the best possible result” and we are waiting for the Federal Council to give it the “green light” after the consultation, the spokesman further insisted. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)