Switzerland limits access to its labour market

 The Swiss Federal Council decided today to limit further residence permits granted to EU citizens. The already-existing limitations on long-term permits for the EU 8[1] have been prolonged and will most likely be extended to 17[2] more Member States.

"Switzerland decided before to differentiate among the EU citizens. It was a highly regrettable decision and the European Parliament pronounced such a policy to be clearly in breach of the EU-Swiss agreements. The failure of the European Commission and the Swiss authorities to resolve this issue discredits the current system of cooperation between us and our Swiss counterparts", commented Rafał Trzaskowski MEP, Rapporteur on Switzerland for the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee. "Once restrictions apply to all Member States equally, it will still be a decision which will cause us deep concern."

The European Parliament adopted a Resolution which defends workers from Central and Eastern Europe and condemns the decision of the Swiss authorities to limit residence permits granted to them in May last year. The EU-Swiss joint committee has since then failed however to resolve the problem.

"We are facing more obstacles in relations with Switzerland. EU entrepreneurs are still coming across numerous problems when trying to operate in Switzerland. Unfortunately, not much has changed in recent years", said Andreas Schwab MEP, EPP Group Coordinator in the Internal Market Committee. "Improving the situation is not only in our interest. It has been proven to the Swiss that EU workers also greatly benefit the Swiss economy", said Mr Schwab, referring to a recent study published by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich.

Relations between Switzerland and the European Union are currently based on more than 120 bilateral and sectoral agreements. In contrary to the institutional set-up of the EU and the European Economic Area, agreements with Switzerland do not foresee a judiciary body that would give binding rulings in case of conflict. The European Commission has recently started exploratory talks with the Swiss authorities with a view to opening future negotiations on a more comprehensive and effective mechanism of cooperation between the two sides, which would require the signing of a new international agreement.

"We will be looking closely in the European Parliament at how these talks develop", concluded Trzaskowski.