Swiss economics minister ‘will not accept EU diktat’
Discussions on the same framework agreement in 2016 when Schneider-Ammann was the Swiss president.
Keystone
Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann has said that he will not bow down to pressure from the European Union to conclude a framework agreement by the end of the year.
“I will never accept a diktat from the European Union that we need to reach an agreement now,” Schneider-Ammann told Swiss public television RTS on Monday in response to a warning expressed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
“Time is running out,” Juncker had said in an interview with RTS in September. “Negotiate with me, conclude with me, because within a year I will no longer be there, and you will see,” he said. He also warned “it could be really bad” for Switzerland after his departure.
According to Schneider-Ammann, the EU”needs us”, and Switzerland has no reason to rush into an agreement before the end of the year. “It takes time to reach agreement internally and externally,” he said.
Switzerland must take its time, according to Schneider-Ammann, who will relinquish office by the end of the year: “We talked about it in 2017, in 2018, why not in 2020 or in 2021, it doesn’t matter”.
Brussels wants Switzerland to agree to a full treaty on equivalence before it gets greater access to EU markets and is pushing Bern to reach a deal this year amid ongoing Brexit talks and before elections in Switzerland and the EU scheduled for 2019.
Since 2014, talks have been taking place to formalise relations between the two sides, now covered by around 100 separate accords. The so-called framework agreement being discussed covers five of the larger bilateral deals: free movement of persons, mutual recognition on conformity assessment, agricultural products, air transport and land transport. Measures related to the free movement of persons are the main stumbling block.
This content was published on
Swiss President Alain Berset has met leaders from Europe and Asia in Brussels but the EU leader gave him the cold shoulder.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
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.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
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.
‘50-50 chance’ of Swiss-EU framework deal before end of year
This content was published on
Swiss lawyer Jean Russotto sees a “50-50 chance” for Switzerland and the EU to reach a deal in the coming months to formalise ties.
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.