SGB calls for additional round of negotiations with the EU
Published: Sunday, Dec 15th 2024, 11:30
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In the last few days before the expected conclusion of negotiations with the EU, the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) has called on the Federal Council to hold another round of discussions. In this round, "significant deteriorations" in wage protection are to be corrected, which the SGB expects according to the results of the negotiations to date.
This was written by the Swiss Federation of Trade Unions (SGB) in a letter reported by the "NZZ am Sonntag". The letter was also made available to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The SGB therefore assumes that "the problems with wage protection" have not yet been resolved in the negotiations. In addition, public services in the electricity and rail sectors, for example, have not been secured. This still needs to be negotiated directly by the Federal Council in a "final round", even if it could lead to tensions between Switzerland and the EU. There was no official information on the content of the negotiations until recently.
According to the letter, the "problems with wage protection" mainly concern the principle of origin for expenses and the Swiss services ban. According to the SGB, Switzerland would have to adopt the principle of origin from EU law. With regard to the services block, the SGB writes that this is not provided for in EU law and is not secured in the planned agreement.
The negotiations between Switzerland and the EU on future relations are likely to be concluded before Christmas. In Brussels, the conclusion is expected in the course of next week, as Keystone-SDA has learned from several diplomatic sources.
The Federal Council will meet for its next ordinary meeting on December 20. Following this, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is to travel to Bern to see Federal President Viola Amherd in order to formally conclude the negotiations, as Keystone-SDA has learned. The meeting is due to take place before Christmas. There has been no official comment on the matter.
©Keystone/SDA
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