Jans acknowledges exceptions to the free movement of persons
Published: Friday, Dec 20th 2024, 17:20
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According to Justice Minister Beat Jans, the solutions found with the EU regarding the free movement of persons are "better than the status quo without an agreement". The Swiss social system and labor market continue to be protected.
The focus is on the negotiated safeguard clause, which Switzerland can now activate independently. An agreement on this needs to be reached in the joint committee today. Speaking to the media in Bern on Friday, Jans spoke of a "decisive improvement" compared to the failed negotiations on a framework agreement.
Switzerland was also able to negotiate exceptions to the so-called EU Citizens Directive, said Jans. The right of permanent residence for EU citizens is subject to strict conditions, unlike the other way around. People only receive the permanent right of residence if they have been legally resident in Switzerland for five years and have been gainfully employed during this time.
The same rules apply to foreign offenders as today, as Jans went on to explain. "Switzerland is not adopting any guidelines here that do not already apply today."
According to Jans, Switzerland has negotiated a system of protection that protects it in the area of immigration. In addition, the safeguard clause could be activated if the other measures were no longer sufficient. "We were able to safeguard important Swiss concerns and special features."
The EU also achieved a goal: in future, Swiss universities and universities of applied sciences will have to treat Swiss and EU citizens equally when it comes to tuition fees. The Federal Council is examining accompanying measures to compensate for the financial losses.
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