EU Parliament Calls for Increased Trust Between Switzerland and EU
Published: Wednesday, Oct 4th 2023, 12:55
Mise à jour le : Vendredi, 13 octobre 2023, 14:12
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The European Parliament on Wednesday in Strasbourg adopted the Switzerland report of the conservative Austrian EU Member of Parliament Lukas Mandl with 538 to 42 votes with 43 abstentions. It called for "more trust between the EU and Switzerland based on increased transparency". The European Parliament expressed regret that the Swiss Federal Council will not decide on a negotiation mandate until the end of 2023, noting the short timeframe before the European elections in mid-2024. They urged both sides to reach an agreement by then. As long as there is no agreement on the package of agreements, numerous bilateral agreements between the EU and Switzerland are at risk of being undermined, according to reference to the Swiss medical technology industry. In addition to the new agreement package, there is also a need for modernization of the free trade agreement and a modern investment protection agreement. The relationship between the EU and Switzerland could be significantly improved through increased mutual trust, according to Austrian EU Member of Parliament Mandl. The European Parliament welcomed Switzerland's decision to join the EU sanctions against Russia in response to its attack, and called for a systematic adoption of them. It also praised the cooperation in military matters and the Swiss desire to participate in the European air defense system Sky Shield. The Swiss government regrets that it has prohibited the re-export of ammunition and war material produced in Switzerland from EU member states to Ukraine. The European Parliament encouraged the Swiss Federal Council to enable the confiscation of Russian assets and called for Switzerland to participate in the G7 countries' task force. The relationship between the EU and Switzerland in the trade sector is so close that it goes beyond mere "economic integration". Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the internal market, which is not the case with regard to freedom of movement, according to the EU parliamentarians. The EU also acknowledged the concerns of Switzerland. The EU also commits to combating "abusive working conditions". Therefore, it is possible to consider the application of temporary, limited or security measures based on EU law for a certain period of time. To address the skeptics in Switzerland and alleviate their concerns, the European Parliament, according to Mandl, advocated for increased transparency, such as regarding the reality of the free movement of workers. In their Switzerland report, EU parliamentarians also expressed concern about the lack of an electricity agreement between Switzerland and the EU. This poses risks to the European electricity grid. Therefore, they called for "technical solutions at the level of transmission network operators and the integration of Switzerland into the EU's capacity calculation". The European Parliament has called for transitional rules for Swiss participation in the EU research programme "Horizon Europe" following the adoption of the negotiating mandate. "This will strengthen the science and innovation hub of Europe as a whole," said Mandl. The Member of the European Parliament from Austria took on the task of writing a report on Switzerland two and a half years ago. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is now requested to submit the report to the other European institutions as well as "the Parliament of the Swiss Confederation".
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