Standstill, blockage, paralysis. That’s the current state of European politics. This is also due to the signal that the Federal Council has been sending out for a long time: The EU is not moving.
But is that really true? What is certain is that the Swiss negotiator Livia Leu Agosti traveled to Brussels with an ambitious mandate. And that the government’s present result is not enough.
Now it is becoming apparent that the Brussels granite may not be as hard as the executive is constantly claiming. SonntagsBlick has received an email from Stéphanie Riso. The 44-year-old French woman is the negotiator of the European Union and thus Leu’s opponent. Riso sent the letter to Michael Karnitschnig, Director of External Relations in the General Secretariat of the EU Commission, and EU Parliamentarian Andreas Schwab.
Under the subject “Request for clarification”, the diplomat vented her desperation in view of the tough Swiss negotiating position. She calls the discussion about the free movement of persons and the Union Citizens’ Directive (UBRL) the “most complex” and “least finalized” question.
Seven exceptions for Switzerland
According to Riso, Switzerland wants to add seven exceptions to the agreement in this area. Then she wrote something surprising: “Nevertheless, we are ready to deal with these seven points in detail.” Riso continues, they are willing to go through the contract “line by line”, “to see if we can find solutions”.
The time of the e-mail is explosive: Riso typed it on May 3rd, two weeks after Federal President Guy Parmelin’s visit to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. Two weeks after the Federal President spoke of “considerable differences” that separated Bern and Brussels.
Another document available on SonntagsBlick shows that the position of the Union is more flexible than previously known: a report by the head of the Swiss mission to the EU in Brussels, Urs Bucher, to the headquarters in Bern. In it, the diplomat describes a video conference last Tuesday, the content of which he reconstructs based on conversations with conference participants.
The EU working group responsible for the Efta countries discussed the negotiations on the framework agreement. At this meeting, representatives of the EU Commission again emphasized their willingness to compromise. They want to keep the door open for a “global compromise” to help the treaty achieve a breakthrough. In this case, however, Switzerland’s political will to find “a balanced solution” is also required.
In the case of the UBRL, the EU Commission was of the opinion that a discussion of the disputed points was possible in order to determine the exact differences. If Switzerland wanted to. Compromises are possible on five of the seven problematic points, even if the Union “prefers” not to interfere with the principles of the four fundamental freedoms.
Is the EU giving in?
This formulation – if it was actually expressed in this way – is explosive: So far, the EU has considered the four fundamental freedoms, including the free movement of persons, to be inviolable. Is a paradigm shift emerging here? The minutes of the Swiss ambassador do not answer this question.
On the other hand, one thing is certain: In Brussels, the impression prevails that the offer for talks in Bern falls on deaf ears. In any case, the representative of the EU Commission was disappointed that Switzerland had not yet reacted to this.
The Zurich FDP foreign politician, Hans-Peter Portmann, is in contact with Bern and Brussels as a representative of the EU / Efta delegation. He was able to identify possible solutions on both sides, “which would also be suitable for the majority of the Swiss population”. However, both sides told him that the other had to move. “It seems to me as if there are kids facing each other instead of personalities capable of governing,” is Portmann’s bitter conclusion.
Meanwhile, the nerves are on fire in Bern. A hot rumor is causing an uproar: the European Committee of the Federal Council – Federal President Parmelin, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter – is working on a formulation to suspend the agreement. What is certain is that the trio is currently exchanging ideas frequently.
What this is all about could already be seen on Wednesday: It is expected that the Federal Council will then take a public position on the current negotiations for the first time.