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EUROPEAN UNION

European Commission president: ‘The Swiss have a completely false view of me’

Tensions between Switzerland and the European Union over a planned institutional framework accord continued to simmer on Wednesday with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker saying the Swiss government was responsible for the current stalemate in the negotiations.

Published: 15 February 2018 12:50 CET
European Commission president: 'The Swiss have a completely false view of me'
Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday. Photo: MMANUEL DUNAND / AFP

“I have met with the [former] Swiss president [Doris Leuthard] eight times since coming to office and have always indicated that an institutional framework accord is necessary,” said Juncker.

“It was promised on many occasions but has not materialised,” he added.

“I remain, despite that, a friend of Switzerland – although I have always noticed on holidays that when I met Swiss people, they have dim view of me,” said the former Luxembourg prime minister.

“I think the Swiss government and the Swiss media have projected an image of me that in no way corresponds with reality,” he said.

The comments came during a Q&A session at the end of a lengthy press conference when Juncker was asked about the state of stalled talks on the thorny issue of an institutional framework accord between the EU and Switzerland.

The framework agreement would resolve certain institutional questions regarding Switzerland's bilateral arrangements with the EU, for example the role of EU courts in dispute resolution.

In November 2017, the then Swiss President Doris Leuthard held a meeting in Bern with EU Commission President Juncker aimed at making progress on the accord, which they had hoped to complete by the end of 2017. 

But a month later, the EU pulled out the rug on the talks, saying Swiss stock markets would be only be able to continue trading EU shares for 12 months from January 3rd, which is when new European financial regulations come into effect.

Switzerland had hoped to win the right to an unlimited deal with Leuthard saying the country had fulfilled the same conditions for recognition of stock market equivalence as other third states (non-EU members) who have obtained unlimited access.

A frustrated Leuthard described the decision to limit Swiss access to EU markets as “discriminatory.”

In late January, Swiss Finance minister Ueli Maurer told national daily the NZZ an EU–Switzerland deal should not be expected any time soon, especially with Brexit looming.

Maurer's comments came only days after foreign minister Ignazio Cassis, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, repeated the government's intention to conclude an agreement as soon as possible.

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.

Published: 24 July 2024 14:15 CEST
Updated: 31 July 2024 14:08 CEST
Why is Switzerland spending 300 million francs to protect Schengen borders?

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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