Not only the British, the Swiss quarrel with the European Union. However, while the United Kingdom from the EU turns away, closer to Switzerland, more and more, and plans – not the undisputed agreement.
Switzerland and the EU – a complicated history of how protest actions to show
The EU determines the political and economic fortunes in Europe, but there is a spot that has escaped the all-encompassing Hand as far as possible. The small Gallic village of Switzerland.
At first glance, the country has in the middle of Europe not a lot to do with the United Kingdom in common, but that is changing. While the British struggle with the Brexit from the EU to distance, closer to Switzerland, the economic and value community more and more.
Domestically, this raises huge debates. The current case relates to the so-called “Institutional framework agreement” between Switzerland and the EU. For more than five years, the Swiss are debating this agreement that will guarantee a more uniform and more efficient cooperation between the EU and Switzerland.
Who determines, Berne or Brussels?
Andreas Glaser teaches in Zurich and European law
The relations between Switzerland and the EU are very close, although Switzerland is not an EU member. They are based on a network of agreements with more than 100 bilateral agreements. The framework agreement is to secure certain points, and simplifying collaboration.
A moot point is the so-called Union citizens Directive, which regulates the free movement of persons within the EU, for example. Brussels is demanding that Switzerland, to adopt this Directive. Switzerland feared, however, with the Adoption of this regulation, EU citizens might have a right to social benefits in Switzerland, such as social assistance or the right to a permanent residence. All of it would be considered exceptions, however, this point is preparing the Swiss headache.
What is a framework agreement with the EU, but especially in the way that is the DNA of Switzerland. “The agreement requires the assumption of a dynamic Law, and is incompatible with direct democracy and federalism is difficult,” explains lawyer Glaser. “That’s why the enthusiasm within narrow limits.”
Economy could benefit
The economy is clearly reflected positively to the proposed framework agreement. After all, you would benefit from it, too, without a renewal of the treaties, trade barriers are any. Therefore, according to Commentators, Anderas Glaser of the University of Zurich appreciates it.
The influential Swiss business Federation Economiesuisse believes that a framework agreement will improve the position of Switzerland. “The company’s best interest to be as simple as possible and with as little cost as possible is strongly integrated into the internal market. Therefore, these associations are also the biggest advocates of the agreement,” said Glaser.
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The Swiss Federal Council forms the government, however, sends different signals. Thus, the right-wing populist SVP wants to fight the agreement literally, the social Democrats of the SP to rate the current draft as not a majority, and the liberals of the FDP do not want to set in the Europe question in the first place.
Only the conservative CVP can be friends with some of the limitations with the framework agreement. “If the institutional agreement should eventually be adopted, and then only for purely economic reasons. But this would have nothing to do with a enthusiasm or even euphoria for Europe,” says Glaser.
Parallel to the Brexit-Chaos
Lawyer Andreas Glaser, however, sees Parallels between the debate in Switzerland, and the Brexit-Chaos in the United Kingdom: “We have been in both situations, no single negotiation position. Heck, there are shooters in the UK and Switzerland.” Neither the government of Switzerland, in the United Kingdom, speaks with a single voice.
The negotiating culture is entangled both countries also in turmoil with the EU: The United Kingdom and Switzerland on ticking just different – and corners. The British and the Swiss were marked by pragmatism, says a lawyer Glaser, and not particularly theoretically sophisticated and aesthetically beautiful solutions, as preferred by the EU. After all, you also have to keep all member States on one line and political inconsistencies – or at least overlap.
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This strategy obviously works, neither in Switzerland nor in the United Kingdom. Lawyer Glaser is convinced that the EU and individual countries much more and to a political power game could do without. “Whether the EU would really break the prongs of the crown, if you would yield in each of a few points, in order to make both States happy, I would like to draw.”
In contrast to the British, the Swiss, however, have one advantage: The decision for or against the framework agreement is not tied to a deadline.