Berne and Vienna sign agreement to combat illegal immigration

Justice minister, Ruth Metzler (middle), signs the accord along with Austria's interior minister, Ernst Strasser (left), and Liechtenstein's government representative, Michael Ritter Keystone

The government has signed a treaty with Austria and Liechtenstein aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. The deal aims to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to move between the three countries.

Under the agreement, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein accept responsibility for preventing illegal immigrants from escaping across their shared borders.

In cases where illegal immigrants cross the border, each country has the right to demand that the transit country take the immigrants back before repatriating them to their country of origin.

The deal was signed at a meeting outside Berne by the Swiss justice minister, Ruth Metzler, the Austrian interior minister, Ernst Strasser and a Liechtenstein government representative, Michael Ritter.

Switzerland has already signed similar treaties with France and Italy.

Metzler said the accord with Austria and Liechtenstein would further offset Switzerland’s exclusion from the European Union and the Schengen agreement, which has opened the borders between several EU member states. She said the treaty would serve as an integral part of Switzerland’s asylum and security policies.

It is due to come into force by the end of the year, pending approval by the parliament in Liechtenstein.

It was the first official meeting between a member of the Swiss government and the interior minister from Austria’s centre-right coalition. Metzler said up until now neither the asylum or foreigner policies of the new administration in Vienna had been cause for concern.

swissinfo with agencies