EU ambassador sees room for maneuver in negotiations with Switzerland
Published: Saturday, Nov 25th 2023, 12:40
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Following the conclusion of the exploratory talks between Switzerland and the EU, the EU ambassador to Switzerland, Petros Mavromichalis, sees further room for negotiation in certain areas. The present declaration is not a binding international agreement.
The twelve-page document is a framework, "you have to stay within this framework", said Mavromichalis on the SRF radio program "Samstagsrundschau". During the expected negotiations, it would no longer be possible to re-discuss everything that didn't fit. "Otherwise we would have wasted our time," said the diplomat. "But individual things can always be improved," he said. One sticking point between Switzerland and the EU, for example, is measures to protect wages.
The declaration reached after the exploratory talks was a "landing zone" that had been worked out. "We feel bound by it," he said. But it was a political document, not a legal one. "It can still be changed or improved."
This joint declaration serves as the basis for future negotiations between Switzerland and the EU on the future relationship and contractual framework. It sets out the results of the exploratory talks. Diplomats from Switzerland and the EU have been holding exploratory talks since April 2022. The last round took place on October 27 of this year.
In addition to institutional issues such as dispute settlement and the dynamic adoption of legislation, the talks also included new agreements on electricity, health and food safety. This package of agreements also includes Switzerland's readmission to the EU research and education programs "Horizon Europe" and "Erasmus plus".
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