Filenews 2 June 2021
The Swiss reject a new agreement on their relations with the EU. But Brussels also has no reason to rush, the Commission believes.
The British press's reactions were praised: Switzerland did very well, resisting pressure from "technocrats in Brussels" and rejecting the new "framework agreement" on future relations with the EU, the Conservative Telegraph newspaper points out, by fanatical Brexit devotees. Obviously Bern's "No" does not compare to that of Great Britain, as Switzerland has never been a member of the EU. But the common element is that both countries are distancing themselves from the idea of a united Europe in a way that, at first sight, runs counter to their economic interests.
What happens in the case of Switzerland? The country has rejected its membership of the EU, but wants maximum membership of the European single market, but without excessive concessions on sensitive issues such as the free movement of persons. The relationship with the EU is based on a labyrinthine legal framework, which today consists of ... 100 different bilateral treaties. The Swiss themselves simply call them 'The Treaties', unable to devise a more comprehensive name. Since 2013, Bern and the EU have been negotiating a new "framework agreement" that will consolidate and simplify this legislation. At the same time, however, Switzerland is trying to pass new preferential clauses on issues such as the free movement of Europeans, and the EU wants to impose changes it deems necessary, such as the establishment of an arbitral tribunal to hear any disputes arising from the interpretation of the legislation.
Concern about limiting national sovereignty
Georg Emily Rickeles, an analyst at the European Policy Centre in Brussels specialising in Switzerland, sees a similarity in the reactions of London and Bern. "As with Brexit," he argues, "here too we see a debate in which the interests of the economy are weighed on the one hand and the fear of losing national sovereignty on the other," says the Norwegian analyst. He believes that all this is not due to the behaviour of the EU and of course that is what the EU itself considers. Nevertheless, it is a "bitter glass" for Brussels for the Swiss' refusal to move towards a closer relationship with the rest of Europe.
The experience of Brexit shows that distancing itself will have consequences for the economy. In the first quarter of 2021, the volume of trade between the EU and the UK has decreased by 23.1% compared to the corresponding period in 2018. Exporters complain about meticulous controls, rising bureaucracy and rising costs. Switzerland is also aware that its refusal to accept the new agreement, which inter alia provided that changes to the acquis communautaire are automatically incorporated into Swiss legislation, will have consequences. According to Community experts, the greatest difficulties concern food imports, exports of Swiss pharmaceuticals and aviation. Insurmountable obstacles are also seen by the Association of Swiss Universities, as the EU will have to end joint research programmes with the country's universities, putting Switzerland's current top position in cutting-edge technologies at risk. "International cooperation is a prerequisite for ensuring excellence and innovation," the Association said in a statement.
"Colonial" of the EU Switzerland?
For Roger Kepel, a member of the ultraconservative People's Party (SVP), another is the defining argument: "This framework agreement would essentially have turned Switzerland into a colony of European law". Kepel believes that the EU is governed from above, i.e. from top to bottom, while in Switzerland the opposite is true, as decisions are taken by referendum and by the logic of direct democracy. The employers' association Autonomiesuisse, which is critical of the EU, goes one step further and argues that an acceptance of the proposed agreement "would align us, politically and economically, with the EU. It would undermine the logic of direct democracy and the federal organization of the state. We want Switzerland to remain an independent and sovereign state." It should be noted, however, that other employers' associations supported the "framework agreement" with the EU.
German Christian Democrat (CDU) MEP Andreas Schwab hails from Baden-Vürttemberg, a region bordering Switzerland, and feels compelled to articulate a counterpoint: "With all due respect, the world does not revolve around Switzerland," he points out. "The 27 EU member states also have reasonable interests, which they should defend." For the Swiss, of course, the reminder of the country's small size alone is "red cloth". Autonomiesuisse insists that "with its strong trading partners - the EU, the US, China - Switzerland negotiates agreements as equal to equal."
Europe is recovering
The Rejection of the Swiss comes at a time when Europe seems to be recovering. After a very difficult year of pandemics, the coordination of the "27" is improved, not only in the supply of vaccines, but also in the implementation of the Recovery Fund to deal with the economic consequences of the pandemic. "I believe that the success of the European project is now visible to everyone," says Commission spokesman Eric Mamer, adding with a hint of conviction: "I don't think the decision of the Swiss authorities will change anything about this..."
Verena Schmidt-Rosman, Christiane Olrich (DPA)
Editing by Giannis Papadimitriou
Source: Deutsche Welle
