EU-Switzerland agreement on the brink... yet potential impediments persist
"Alright, let's talk about the latest with Switzerland and the EU, shall we?"
Professor Gilbert Casasus of the University of Fribourg has declared that the negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union have reached their final moments, much like the end of a tough football match.
He claimed, "The outcome may not be a masterpiece, but it's a victory for both Bern and Brussels." Switzerland seeks to strengthen and expand its ties with its chief trading partner, which currently rely on more than 120 existing agreements.
For almost two decades, discussions have occurred about simplifying and harmonizing these relationships. However, the talks came to a halt in 2021, when Bern suddenly halted negotiations without warning.
Since March, negotiations have resumed, with both sides expressing hope of concluding a deal by the end of the year. This agreement would update the current bilateral agreements and establish new ones on topics like electricity, health, and food safety.
The Swiss business federation, Economiesuisse, stated that reaching a deal would allow Switzerland's economy to maintain current conditions, providing access to the European market, and further development in crucial areas.
Dealing with that controversial free movement issue?
Some feared Switzerland's attempts to secure an exemption to the EU's much-loved free movement of people might complicate an agreement. But Swiss media, citing diplomatic sources, recently reported that this longstanding stumbling block, along with other issues, has been resolved.
The only outstanding issue, it seems, pertains to the amount Switzerland should contribute to the EU's Cohesion Fund, which aims to reduce economic and social disparities within the bloc.
European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic recently mentioned the efforts to "step up" the talks. "We've had 200 negotiation meetings. The final battles are always the hardest. Let's make sure our efforts bear fruit," he said.
The latest round of discussions on Tuesday reportedly took place in a positive atmosphere. "Now that an agreement is within reach, we hope that Switzerland will be ready to move forward. We believe we've struck a delicate balance that should be appreciated by all parties," a European diplomatic source said.
Although no official announcements have been made, media reports indicate that European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen might visit Bern before Christmas, and Switzerland is supposedly prepared to approve the deal before her arrival – possibly as early as this Friday.
The Union's Union Worry:
The Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS), Switzerland's largest union umbrella organization, has called for further negotiations, voicing concerns that the agreement as it stands could harm Swiss wages.
Unions have also expressed concern about the potential impacts on Switzerland's rail and electricity sectors.
Achieving a lasting agreement remains an uphill battle, with any agreement needing to pass muster not only with Switzerland's parliament but also with voters in a likely referendum.
The hard-right Swiss People's Party (SVP), Switzerland's largest party, fiercely opposes closer ties with the EU. The SVP has warned that the agreement under discussion would "signify the total submission of Switzerland to the EU," demanding that Bern adopt European law and criticizing the planned creation of an "arbitration court" to settle disputes.
"It's absurd," SVP parliamentarian Magdalena Martullo-Blocher told the Le Temps daily, warning that the EU would penalize Switzerland if it refused to adopt European regulations.
By accepting the creation of an arbitration court, "we will officially be authorizing the EU to punish us," Martullo-Blocher cautioned.
Casasus acknowledged the hurdles ahead. "The signing of this agreement is only one step," he said, estimating that the end game would not likely occur until "2027 at the earliest...with the risk that by that date, the agreement will already be outdated."
A Swiss referendum, he warned, remains "the biggest sword of Damocles hanging over the fate of this agreement."
- The agreement, if reached, would update the current bilateral agreements and establish new ones on topics like electricity, health, and food safety, according to the Swiss business federation, Economiesuisse.
- The latest round of discussions on Tuesday reportedly took place in a positive atmosphere, with a European diplomatic source stating that an agreement is within reach and both sides are prepared to move forward.
- The Swiss Trade Union Federation (USS), Switzerland's largest union umbrella organization, has called for further negotiations, voicing concerns that the agreement as it stands could harm Swiss wages and impact various sectors like rail and electricity.
- The Swiss People's Party (SVP), Switzerland's largest party, fiercely opposes closer ties with the EU, with SVP parliamentarian Magdalena Martullo-Blocher warning that the agreement under discussion would represent "the total submission of Switzerland to the EU" and criticizing the planned creation of an "arbitration court" to settle disputes.
- Professor Gilbert Casasus of the University of Fribourg estimates that the end game would not likely occur until "2027 at the earliest," with the risk that by that date, the agreement will already be outdated, considering the rapidly changing landscape of policy-and-legislation, finance, business, politics, and general-news.
