"In the coming 12 months, workers from EU states will have only restricted access to the Swiss labour market," the Swiss Federal Council said in a statement.
The decision is in response to calls by right-wing political parties, and comes despite the opposition of the left and the country's powerful financial sector.
Immigration is a hot-button issue in Switzerland with the far right Swiss People's Party making huge inroads in recent years claiming that foreigners are taking away Swiss jobs.
And according to Swiss statistics, there has been a recent surge in the number of southern Europeans, especially from Portugal and Spain, settling in the country as the eurozone debt crisis bites in their home countries.
The clause is part of a bilateral agreement on migration with the European Union and allows temporary quotas on residency permits for EU residents wishing to work in Switzerland.
In its decision, Switzerland is applying to the EU as a whole limits already in effect to newer EU entrants Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
Despite the move, "the EU is and will remain our most important partner," said Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga at a news conference announcing the decision.
In May 2012, Switzerland said 2,180 workers from the new entrant EU nations could work in the country until the end of April 2013.
The limit had raised strong opposition from Brussels, even though the ability to limit EU workers for a temporary period of time was included in a agreement signed between the EU and Swizterland in 2002.
The clause, however, expires in 2014 according to the deal.
EUROPEAN UNION
Swiss clamp down on EU worker permits
The Swiss government on Wednesday decided to extend a safeguard clause limiting work permits for certain EU citizens for 12 months and include workers from all the union's 27 nations beginning next month.
For members
IMMIGRATION
Why is Switzerland spending 300 million francs to protect Schengen borders?
From August 1st, 2024, Switzerland will contribute financially to the European effort to strengthen the protection of the Schengen area’s external borders.
Updated: 31 July 2024 14:08 CEST
Though Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it does belong to the Schengen area — not only benefitting from the access to Europe’s borderless zone, but also participating in its funding.
Financial support is especially needed in Schengen countries with particularly extensive land and sea borders or major international airports on their territories, because they bear a heavy financial burden of securing the zone’s external borders, for the benefit of all the other members.
How will Switzerland’s 300-million-franc contribution be used?
Over the period of next seven years, it will go toward the programme called Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVl), which is part of the fund that ensures efficient management of EU’s borders.
The EU already allocated 6.24 billion euros to the BMVI for a seven-year period, and 300 million francs is Switzerland’s share.
Specifically, those funds will be used towards improving external border controls, investing in common large-scale IT systems in the area of borders management and visa policy, funding infrastructure and equipment, and deployment of immigration liaison officers, among other tasks.
Why is Switzerland contributing 300 million francs?
The BMVl’s goal is to “improve the protection of the external borders of the Schengen area and, therefore, to increase the effectiveness of border controls and prevent illegal immigration,” the Federal Council said.
This, along with effective and integrated management of the external borders “is also in Switzerland’s interest.”
Also, Switzerland will likely receive grants from the BMVl of around 50 million francs to be allocated mainly to the establishment of new EU information systems (EES Entry and Exit System, and European Travel Information and Authorization System ETIAS) on its territory.
Furthermore, it is planned to use part of these resources to finance the expansion of the border control infrastructure at Zurich Airport.
Benefits for Switzerland
There is no doubt that Swiss citizens benefit greatly from access to the Schengen zone.
Simply put, it allows anyone who is in Switzerland legally to enjoy hassle-free travel to and from the 26 other Schengen states, visa time limits permitting.
Travellers arriving into Switzerland for the first time from a non-Schengen state like the UK or the US will have to queue up to have their passports checked, but after that they can move freely.
That means Swiss citizens, EU nationals, non-EU international residents in Switzerland, tourists, exchange students or people travelling for business can travel on to another Schengen member state, perhaps neighbouring France or Germany by car or train, without having to show their passports. (Although occasionally checks are brought back.)
That is a definite ‘plus’ for anyone who travels within Europe. Due to Switzerland having so many land borders with other Schengen countries it would have been hugely problematic not to join.
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