Ex-EU boss laments lack of progress on Swiss framework deal
Jean-Claude Juncker handed over to his successor Ursula von der Leyen in 2019.
Keystone / Markus Schreiber
Jean-Claude Juncker says that Switzerland – like the United Kingdom – underestimated the cohesion of EU member states in talks aimed at defining bilateral relations.
This content was published on
2 minutes
NZZ/Keystone-SDA/dos
Luxembourger Juncker, who headed the European Commission from 2014 to 2019, also told the Neue Zürcher Zeitung on Saturday that the recent Brexit deal should not be seen as a model in Switzerland, which is also currently trying to nail down its relations with the EU.
“The [UK and Swiss] procedures are completely different scenarios,” Juncker said.
He also said, without elaborating, that Switzerland had “tentatively” tried to play EU members states off each other in its strategy. However, this was unsuccessful, said Juncker – as was made clear by the decision of the 27 EU members to revoke Swiss stock market equivalence in 2019.
Juncker also said that during his mandate, he had always had excellent relations with the rotating Swiss presidents, and that the failure to move forward with the framework agreement was due to a Swiss “reluctance to take the remaining steps towards Europe”.
More
More
What is this EU framework deal?
This content was published on
An institutional framework would simplify future ties between Switzerland and its biggest trading partner.
However, he admitted that the failure to finalise a deal is one of the “black marks” of his mandate, and that he could have done more to present his point of view in Switzerland.
“I should have given more interviews to the Swiss press,” he said. “From today’s perspective, I didn’t clarify the position of the Commission well enough in Switzerland”.
In 2018, after years of talks, Switzerland and the EU concluded a draft version of a framework deal aiming to simplify bilateral relations, which are currently done according to some 20 large sectoral agreements and more than 100 smaller agreements.
Progress stalled following domestic opposition in Switzerland to the terms of the deal, especially the three big sticking points of wage protection measures, state aid rules, and the extent to which EU immigrants can benefit from the Swiss social system.
Tensions now hinge on the Swiss government’s wish to renegotiate these controversial points, while the EU says it is unwilling to substantially reopen discussions.
Juncker told the NZZ he saw “no sensible alternative” to the framework agreement. As for renegotiating it, he said there might be a possibility of “filing away at a corner here and there”.
More
More
Inching forward on Swiss-EU relations
This content was published on
Friend or colonist? The debates on the planned framework agreement show how differently people view Switzerland’s relationship with the EU.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Legal action filed against Swiss purchase of Israeli drones
This content was published on
Legal action aims to put an end to the delivery of the six Elbit reconnaissance drones already plagued by delays and setbacks.
Higher direct payments fail to curb scrub encroachment on alpine pastures
This content was published on
The scrub encroachment on Swiss alpine pastures leads to the loss of grassland and damages the typical landscape. It is also responsible for the decline in biodiversity. Despite higher direct payments, the bushes continue to spread.
Head of Swiss financial regulator’s Banks division quits
This content was published on
Thomas Hirschi, head of the Banks division of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA will leave at the end of August.
Swiss population satisfied with life according to survey
This content was published on
In a survey, the population of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland expressed general satisfaction with their lives. Respondents were less happy with politics and their personal finances, according to the online comparison service Moneyland.
WHO ‘extremely concerned’ about growing vaccination scepticism
This content was published on
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccination scepticism and a collapse in funding for vaccination campaigns pose a major threat to the health of the world's population.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
This content was published on
The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
This content was published on
Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Survey finds falling support for EU framework deal
This content was published on
Almost two-thirds of Swiss say relations with the EU should be better developed, but only half support the framework deal.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
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.