22 January EU-Switzerland talks

Date: 30/01/1997

A HOLE in Europe's anti-fraud net was theoretically sewn up with an agreement between the EU and Switzerland to cooperate with each other in customs operations. The accord has been added to the free-trade agreement which has linked the two since 1972. Until now, Switzerland has been the only European country not to engage in some sort of mutual customs cooperation with the Union. The new agreement provides the necessary legal base for the relevant services in both Switzerland and the EU to exchange customs-related information. This should allow the two to combat breaches of their respective customs rules more effectively.

IT IS hoped that the deal will enable Europe to intensify its fight against organised crime and, more specifically, the problem of transit fraud. A Parliament report on transit fraud currently being finalised singles Switzerland out for particular criticism for its non-cooperation. It says the country's free zones provide an ideal environment for disguising the origins of cigarettes and that Switzerland's secretive banking laws make financial transactions inaccessible to investigators. Speaking after the deal was signed, Internal Market Commissioner Mario Monti described it as “one of the first concrete measures brought about by the Commission in order to help resolve the problems encountered in the transit area”.

MEANWHILE, Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock expressed concern that the EU-Switzerland talks had failed to resolve the problem of heavy goods vehicles crossing Swiss territory. “I must emphasise strongly that an agreement cannot be reached if the present ban on 40-tonne trucks crossing Switzerland is replaced by a prohibitive level of charging over Swiss routes,” he said. Kinnock added that the Commission shared Switzerland's wish to ensure that the natural environment and quality of life in Alpine areas were protected from excessive traffic flows. But, he continued, the current Swiss proposals would mean an unacceptably high number of trucks would be diverted through other countries, notably Austria and France. The measures would also put an unreasonable financial strain on haulage companies transporting goods across the Alps. “I cannot regard any proposals that have these implications as an acceptable contribution to a satisfactory outcome,” he concluded.