| Author (Person) | Thomson, Ian |
|---|---|
| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning |
| Series Title | In Focus |
| Series Details | 31.3.01 |
| Publication Date | 02/04/2001 |
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus |
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In a referendum held on the 4 March 2001, instigated by the 'Yes to Europe' initiative, the Swiss people voted against starting immediate membership talks to join the European Union. The Swiss Government, although advocating eventual Swiss membership of the European Union, campaigned against the initiative arguing that the timing was inappropriate. Background With close political, cultural, economic and geographical links it might be expected that countries such as Switzerland and Norway would be full members of the European Union. Both countries are certainly eligible to be members. The governments of both countries over the years have suggested that membership is in their longterm interest. However, popular opinion, as shown in successive referenda, has voted against joining the European Union. Switzerland has had a free trade agreement with the European Community since 1972 (272A0722(03)), plus more than a hundred further bilateral agreements have been adopted. The EU is of crucial importance to Switzerland: two-thirds of Swiss exports go the EU and three-quarters of Swiss imports come from it. Switzerland imports more from the EU than any country other than the United States, while it exports more to the EU than any country other than the United States and Japan. It is also a major foreign investor in the EU and major employer of EU nationals in both the EU and in Switzerland. However, Switzerland also has a long tradition of non-engagement and neutrality in international affairs, and direct democracy and a strong separate identity internally. Switzerland is a confederation with diverse ethnic groups, four official languages (French, German, Italian and Romansh) and two religions (Roman Catholic and Protestant), in which there is a delicate balance between the various communities, where the holding of referenda at federal, cantonal and communal level is held to be a key method for maintaining equilibrium between the various levels of government. Despite hosting many United Nations departments and agencies in Geneva and Bern, Switzerland is only an observer in the UN. Switzerland only joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in 1992. Switzerland is a founder member (with Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom) of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) set up in 1960 by the Stockholm Convention as a looser intergovernmental free trade grouping to the European Economic Community, with no further economic or political ambitions. Iceland and Finland subsequently joined EFTA, although as Denmark, United Kingdom, Austria, Finland and Sweden went on to join the EU, current membership of EFTA is restricted to Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Liechtenstein also maintains a relationship with EFTA. In 1984 the EEC and EFTA agreed in the Luxembourg Declaration to extend their co-operation. This became more pressing for the EFTA countries in the period in the late 1980s when the European Community was carrying out its programme to complete the single market by 1992. In 1989 negotiations began between the two groupings to create the 'European Economic Space'. In May 1992 at a ceremony in Oporto the 'Agreement on a European Economic Area was agreed. In essence, the EEA Agreement aimed to unite the EU and EFTA Member States into one single market governed by the same basic rules (Acquis Communautaire). These rules cover the so-called four freedoms (free movement of goods, capital, services and persons) and competition rules. During 1992 the Swiss Government formally applied to join the European Union. However, on the 6 December 1992 the Swiss people voted in a referendum against Switzerland participating in the European Economic Area. As a result the application to join the EU was not pursued. Nevertheless, the geographic closeness of Switzerland to EU Member States, plus its extensive economic links, has meant that the Swiss Federal Government ('Federal Council') has continued to see eventual EU membership as a long term 'strategic objective', while seeking to develop specific bilateral sectoral agreements. As a result seven agreements were adopted in June 1999 after a considerable amount of negotiation. These cover the following sectors:
Negotiations proved difficult: both sides recognise the benefits of co-operation. However, on the EU side there is a unstated perception that Switzerland should not receive all the benefits of the EU or the EEA without formally signing up to the full obligations of membership. On the Swiss side, opponents of accession to the EU, which traditionally has been focused on the German-speaking and rural areas, fear that EU membership would undermine some of the fundamental principles of the Swiss political system and would result in a huge influx of foreign nationals. Transport issues were a particular stumbling block in the negotiations leading up to the 1999 agreements (see articles in European Voice below). The seven bilateral agreements will come into force as a complete package following ratification in Switzerland and each of the EU Member States. Switzerland completed its ratification process following a referendum in May 2000. At the time of writing (March 2001) Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and the Netherlands have still to ratify the Agreements. At the completion of negotiations in 1999 certain other subjects were listed as needing further negotiation:
Since then a number of further areas of concern have arisen. The EU wants to reach agreement with Switzerland on matters regarding the taxation of savings and customs fraud. In turn, Switzerland wishes to strengthen cooperation in the area of justice, police and asylum-seeking. In particular, it wishes to be more closely involved with activities carried out under the Schengen acquis. These issues are currently causing tensions between the EU and Switzerland, which emerged at a meeting between the two sides in January 2001 (MEMO/01/13). While all the evidence of the last decade has shown that a majority of the population in Switzerland do not wish to join the EU at present, there have been various initiatives by groups who do favour membership to push the issue. The Born on 7 December committee, for example, made an official presentation of its popular initiative 'For our future in the heart of Europe' in September 1993. In February 1995 there was the launch of the Yes to Europe initiative in effort to win support for Swiss membership of the EU. The Federal Council recommended rejection of these initiatives. This process has continued throughout the past few years. In 1997 The Lega/Social Democrat party initiative EC membership negotiations before the people! was rejected in a referendum by 73.9&percent; of the voters and approved by 26.1&percent;. In April 1998 the Federal Council decided to counter the Yes to Europe initiative with its own proposal for opening negotiations on EU membership. Furthermore, the Federal Council mandated the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Finance, to prepare an integration report, which would provide exhaustive information on the political, economic and financial consequences of EU membership, and which would make recommendations as to the measures to be taken. Following this the Federal Council would propose the opening of negotiations with the EU at an appropriate time. The latest official statement of Swiss policy is the Foreign Policy Report 2000, which restates that 'accession to the EU is the Federal Council's objective', and says that it will continue practical preparations so that it will be able to take a decision during the next parliamentary term. The Federal Council has continued to oppose the Yes to Europe initiative and it stated its views clearly in a statement. Nevertheless, the referendum went ahead on the 4 March 2001 resulting in a large vote against starting immediate accession negotiation with the EU. Government Press Releases relating to the referendum are available in German. Further information within European Sources Online: European Sources Online: Topic Guide European Sources Online: European Voice European Sources Online: Financial Times Further information can be seen in these external links: (long-term access cannot be guaranteed) European Commission: DG External Relations European Commission: Eurostat European Commission: Press and Communication Service European Parliament European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Switzerland: Federal Departments of Foreign Affairs (EDA) and Economic Affairs (EVD) Switzerland: Federal Assembly Switzerland: Embassy in the United Kingdom Switzerland: Swiss Statistics Swiss Bankers' Association Queen's Papers on Europeanisation The Kangaroo Group UBC Institute for European Studies BBC News Further and subsequent information on the subject of this In Focus can be found by an 'Advanced Search' in European Sources Online by inserting 'Switzerland' in the keyword field. Ian Thomson In a referendum held on 4 March 2001 the Swiss people voted against starting immediate membership talks to join the European Union. |
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| Countries / Regions | Switzerland |
