Brussels, 06/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is confident in its hope that, on Sunday 8 February, when the Swiss go to the urns for a high-risk vote likely to bring into question the Confederation's relationship with its first economic partner, the “yes” vote will win. Voters must decide by referendum whether they wish, or not, to have agreements on free movement with the EU, in force since 2002, and above all whether they agree to have these agreements extended to Romania and Bulgaria, the latest Union members. “Swiss citizens have all the elements at their disposal for taking the decision which they believe is best. We await their choice with confidence”, said Michele Cercone, the spokesperson for European Commissioner Jacques Barrot, speaking on Thursday 5 February. The stakes of the referendum are considerable as a no-vote would entail application of the “guillotine clause” whereby the six other agreements signed in 1999 between Switzerland and the EU at the same time as that on free movement would become obsolete (EUROPE 9781). In response to the question of whether the European Executive had sufficiently explained the stakes of such a ballot to the Swiss, Johannes Laitenberger, spokesman for the president of the European Commission, said: “This is a sovereign decision on the part of Swiss voters. It is not up to us to make recommendations”. According to the latest poll on 30 January, 50% are in favour of voting “yes” while 43% are for the “no” although this last percentage is growing and the 7% of undecided could make all the difference. “Although Switzerland has sealed agreements with the EU, this is first of all because it is in the interest of Switzerland itself”, Mr Laitenberger added. “It is up to Switzerland to take its decision in the knowledge that, for us other Europeans, free movement has been an economic success story, with more employment and freedom for all citizens”, he concluded. (B.C./transl.jl)