Johannes Hahn, EU commissioner for neighbourhood policy and enlargement (left), and Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis during discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year
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Not content to mind her own business, Susan studied journalism in Boston so she’d have the perfect excuse to put herself in other people’s shoes and worlds. When not writing, she presents and produces podcasts and videos.
“The Federal Council is following the overriding goal of unhindered market access as far as possible, and intensive cooperation in select areas, while maintaining the greatest possible sovereignty,” noted the executive branch of the Swiss government. The Federal Council added that it was “attentively” following Britain’s departure from the EU as well as the development of its future relationship.
Switzerland is not a member of the 28-nation bloc, but its location in the middle of Europe means it has dozens of bilateral deals governing trade, migration and other issues. However, for the past four years, Switzerland and the EU have been struggling to come up with a new framework accord.
The EU, occupied with its divorce proceedings with Britain, has had fewer resources to finesse its relationship with Switzerland; nevertheless, the alpine nation remains on its radar.
“I hope that very soon we’ll have a decision, of course a positive one, but it’s too premature to make any predictions about the outcome,” European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes HahnExternal link told swissinfo.ch last week. “There are definitely red lines on both sides. Our aim – meaning Foreign Affairs Minister CassisExternal link and myself – is hopefully to bring together the two lines to one.”
On Monday, Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann insisted that Switzerland would not be pressured to wrap up negotiations this year.
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Johann Schneider-Ammann has said that he will not bow down to EU pressure to conclude a framework agreement by the end of the year.
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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.
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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.
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After British voters' decision to leave the EU, should post-Brexit negotiations be based on Switzerland’s bilateral treaties with Brussels?
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Some Brits believe Switzerland has benefited from the bilateral approach. The Swiss-EU treaties give Switzerland direct access to the best parts of the EU: trade, transport and science projects – plus visa-less travel around Europe. One thing the UK has in common with Switzerland since Brexit is coming to a vote: using direct democracy to…
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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.