Speaking at the Europa Forum in Lucerne External linkon Monday, Berset said it is crucial to develop further the more than 120 treaties as they formed a “good balance between economic and political interests”.
Berset who holds the portfolio as interior minister in the Swiss government, said much of the scepticism of Swiss citizens towards Brussels was the result of the strong Swiss identity and its commitment to institutions.
“We are EU sceptics because we are so European. But we certainly are no anti-Europeans,” Berset said.
He added the only way forward was to define the national interest with tried and tested pragmatism.
Relations between non-EU member Switzerland and its biggest trading partner suffered a setback following voters’ decision in 2014 to curb immigration from the 28-nation bloc.
Attempts to agree on an institutional framework agreement and further bilateral deals have been stalled as the Swiss multi-party government is hoping to present its strategy within the next few months.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
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The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
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The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
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None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
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Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
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It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
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The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
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Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
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Swiss back foreign minister’s EU strategy
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A survey finds a majority of Swiss people back foreign minister Ignazio Cassis’s plans for a new framework agreement with the European Union.
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Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer says it would be politically impossible for Switzerland to sign a new accord with the European Union soon.
Swiss-EU disputes could go to ‘arbitration court’, says government
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The Federal Council has declared a willingness to accept a special arbitration court to settle legal disputes arising from Swiss-EU relations.
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Switzerland has dismissed an EU decision to grant only limited access to the stock market exchange and is reconsidering its CHF1.3 billion pledge.
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What’s it all about? The EU is clear that participating in its single market requires a consistent implementation and interpretation of the market’s continually developing set of rules. Therefore, Brussels expects that the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU will continue to be adapted to any potential legal developments in the future. Since 2014, the…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.