Bern / Brussels, 05/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Sunday 4 March, 76.7% of the Swiss answered "no" in a referendum stemming from a popular initiative aimed at asking the government to immediately embark on accession negotiations with the European Union. "The decision taken today by the sovereign people confirms the allocation of powers enshrined in the Constitution: the Federal Council decides whether and when to begin accession negotiations to the EU, in the interest of our country", said Achille Casanova, spokesman for the Federal Council in a press release. The outcome of the referendum "cannot be interpreted as a rejection of Switzerland's future membership of the EU", but simply expresses "the refusal to oblige the Confederation to engage in negotiations without delay", he added. You may recall that the Swiss Government intends deciding on the time for embarking on negotiations in the next legislature (from 2003 to 2007).
In Brussels, a Commission spokesperson said that "it's a choice we respect", and that "the Swiss have not said 'no' to Europe", but have "preferred to answer the question later".