Switzerland - EU EU ambassador: "We have gone as far as we could"
The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Switzerland, Petros Mavromichalis, has countered criticism of individual points in Switzerland's bilateral agreement with the EU. Switzerland got everything it wanted in the negotiations, he said.
01.02.2025, 05:31
SDA
Wage protection was not a Swiss invention, he said on the much-discussed domestic political issue. With the existing EU rules, wages had not fallen in any member state. "Why should that happen in Switzerland?" asked Mavromichalis in the interview published by Blick on Saturday.
"We have gone as far as we could," said the EU ambassador. Now it was up to the Swiss social partners and the government to reach an agreement on domestic policy.
Another controversial point in the negotiations was the cohesion contribution that Switzerland pays for its participation in the European single market. "350 million is 38 francs per inhabitant," said Mavromichalis. The EU single market brings Switzerland an annual profit of over CHF 3,000 per capita. In comparison, the Swiss contribution is small.
Rules for participation in the internal market
The dynamic adoption of EU law also led to gnashing of teeth in Switzerland. "If Switzerland wants to participate in the EU market, it must adhere to the common rules that apply there," said the ambassador. Swiss companies would have to do this with or without an agreement. If legal norms were interpreted differently in Switzerland than in Germany or France, for example, this would no longer be a single market.
For Mavromichalis, one thing is certain: "The current agreements are the last chance to continue the bilateral path." Should Switzerland reject the agreement, the relationship with the EU would erode, he said in the interview.
Negotiations on the bilateral agreement were concluded last December. The Federal Council and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations. According to the Federal Council, the agreement is to be initialed by both chief negotiators in spring 2025. In order for the agreement to enter into force, the National Council and Council of States must approve the texts. The EU member states and the European Parliament must also give the green light. At least one referendum is also expected in Switzerland.
