Swiss scrap talks with EU on cooperation deal
Print Edition
Switzerland on Wednesday called off years of talks with the European Union aimed at sealing a cooperation agreement with Bern鈥檚 largest trading partner, in a move which angered Brussels.
Brussels and Bern have spent more than a decade discussing a so-called framework deal, which would rejig five major agreements within a patchwork of 120 accords that govern non-EU member Switzerland鈥檚 relations with the surrounding bloc.
But Swiss President Guy Parmelin said that the 13 years of talks had hit the end of the road, in a move which could jeopardize relations with the EU, which had made no secret of its impatience to nail down a deal.
Parmelin went to Brussels in late April for talks with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, but the pair made no headway on resolving a range of sticking points.
The two sides hit an impasse after the EU refused to budge on demands from Parmelin to exclude key issues relating to state aid, wage protections and freedom of movement from the pact.
In a statement, Switzerland鈥檚 Federal Council government said it reviewed the outcome of those talks on Wednesday.
鈥淭here remain substantial differences between Switzerland and the EU on key aspects,鈥 it said.
鈥淭he conditions are thus not met for the signing of the agreement.鈥
The move brings the negotiations to a close, the statement said.
There is concern that failing to secure the framework deal might rock Switzerland鈥檚 relationship with the EU.
Around half of all Swiss exports go to the bloc, which all but surrounds the landlocked country, while two-thirds of Switzerland鈥檚 imports are from the EU.
Among other points, the ditched agreement covered access to the single market and fine-tuning applicable Swiss and EU laws.
Regrettable decision
The overarching deal would have required revising the agreements on free movement, industrial standards, agriculture, air and land transport 鈥 and the creation of a joint arbitration court that could settle differences and enable compensation for breaches.
Since 2008, the EU has insisted Switzerland must sign the agreement before concluding any new bilateral deals, with negotiations getting underway in 2014.
For Brussels, those talks concluded in 2018, but the Swiss continued to press for changes and repeatedly put off signing.
The European Commission hit out at Bern鈥檚 move. It said the EU-Swiss Institutional Framework Agreement was essential for an enhanced future bilateral relationship.
鈥淲e regret this decision, given the progress that has been made,鈥 the bloc鈥檚 executive body said, adding the deal鈥檚 core purpose was 鈥渇undamentally a matter of fairness and legal certainty.鈥
鈥淧rivileged access to the Single Market must mean abiding by the same rules and obligations.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
