After rejecting a framework agreement with the EU last year, Switzerland now wants to propose a new package for future relations to Brussels. the government have
"the thrust" set, the Foreign Ministry reported on Friday in Bern. The package should "the whole range of relations with the EU" cover, as Federal President Ignazio Cassis said. Switzerland is striving for an internal market agreement and regulations for electricity and food safety, as well as association agreements in the areas of research, health and education.
Exploratory talks are being sought with Brussels, but the exact options should first be discussed with the cantons and social partners before negotiations, said Cassis. He did not give a time frame. It should "a difficult path" become, he said.
Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but largely participates in the EU internal market. The EU wanted to achieve closer ties between Switzerland and the EU. This should be guaranteed by a framework agreement that should include the previous bilateral agreements. It was negotiated with Switzerland for years, but the government in Bern ultimately refused to approve it. She saw too much resistance in the cantons and feared that the treaty could be overturned in a referendum. The EU was taken aback. Without a framework agreement, the EU does not want to update bilateral agreements individually. They then become obsolete and eventually no longer applicable. (dpa)