The formal cooling of EU-Swiss relations

Feature published by EurActiv in September 2014 analysing the effects of recent changes in the EU-Swiss relations.

The EU refused in July 2014 Switzerland's request to renegotiate a bilateral treaty on free movement after Swiss voters chose to close the country's borders to Croatian workers.

As a result, the Erasmus programme was interrupted, penalising European students, and the proposed interconnection of the electricity market did not get off the ground.

The Swiss business elite published an appeal in a local newspaper on 12 October to save the country's accords with the European Union from unravelling due to the results of the referendum on immigration. Such calls from businessmen were reinforced ahead of a new referendum on even stricter rules on EU immigration, to take place on 30 November.

ESO: Background information: Switzerland reconsiders immigration policy http://www.europeansources.info/record/switzerland-reconsiders-immigration-policy/

EurActiv, 13.10.14: Swiss private sector expresses concern over ‘self-isolation’ http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/swiss-business-voices-concern-over-consequences-self-isolation-309117

EurActiv, 27.10.14: Swiss business leaders campaign against limiting immigration http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/swiss-business-leaders-campaign-against-limiting-immigration-309507

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