| Author (Person) | Whitman, Richard G. |
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| Publisher | Chatham House |
| Series Title | Video |
| Series Details | 20.04.18 |
| Publication Date | 20/04/2018 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog |
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Recording of a meeting held at Chatham House Switzerland and the EU: Lessons for a Post-Brexit UK? held on the 20 April 2018. The contributors were: + Micheline Calmy-Rey, President, Switzerland (2007 and 2011); Minister Foreign Affairs, Switzerland (2003–11) + Professor Michael Ambühl, State Secretary and Head, Directorate of Political Affairs Federal Department ETH Zurich (2005-13); Professor, ETHZ Zurich + Rudolf Dietrich, Director General, Swiss Customs Office (1994-2015) Chair: Professor Richard Whitman, Associate Fellow, Europe Programme, Chatham House Further information Since 1992, following Switzerland’s decision not to join the European Economic Area (EEA), Swiss-EU relations had been developing through bilateral agreements adopted by both parties. There are now around 140 such bilateral agreements and mechanisms and this had created a specific and fragmented legal framework rather than negotiating under a robust legislative structure. It is this ‘living agreement’, between the EU and Switzerland, which the ‘Leave’ campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum often cited as a viable and desirable option for the UK, as opposed to an ‘off the shelf’ framework for any future relationship. This Chatham House event focused on existing convergences between EU-UK and EU-Switzerland negotiations. Focusing on the role of the European Court of Justice, customs arrangements and the free movement of persons, the panellists, all of whom were involved in negotiating Switzerland’s relationship with the EU following the 1992 referendum, discussed the lessons they learned that may guide the UK government during the second stage of Brexit negotiations. How could the UK best balance retaining national sovereignty and gaining access to the EU domestic market? And even if the UK did wish to pursue a ‘Swiss model’, would such a model now be impossible to emulate particularly as the EU has made it clear that it would no longer negotiate with countries without a legislative framework? |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source https://www.chathamhouse.org/file/switzerland-and-eu-lessons-post-brexit-uk |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, Switzerland, United Kingdom |
