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What happens next with the EU without a framework agreement? The Federal President informed the responsible parliamentary commission today.
What next for the EU after the end of the framework agreement? That is one of the biggest domestic political questions in the new year. Next Wednesday, the Federal Council will deliberate on a roadmap and discuss the next steps that could be proposed to the EU. Federal President Ignazio Cassis already had to provide information to the responsible parliamentary commission today. Because this expects the Federal Council to move forward.
For ten days he has not only been foreign minister, but also federal president. In this dual role, Ignazio Cassis outlined in the Foreign Affairs Commission of the National Council how the relationship with the EU can be stabilized. “The Federal Council is currently in the process of defining Switzerland’s agenda,” says Cassis. “When this work has been done, the Swiss agenda will be compared with that of the EU, and the common agenda will emerge from the overlap.”
Lots of ideas on the table
But what exactly should Switzerland and the EU negotiate, which dossier should be tackled first? The Federal President did not want to say anything about this today. After the discussion with Cassis, his party colleague Hans-Peter Portmann became more specific. “Now I actually see parallels, similarities with my suggestions, with the suggestions from the FDP kitchen, and that is actually the vertical negotiation of the individual dossiers.”
The FDP plan provides for a model contract to be drawn up and then the bilateral agreements to be negotiated individually. The Federal Council apparently has sympathy for such an approach, but is also examining ideas from other parties. “There is almost a cacophony of ideas,” says Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, Central National Councilor (BL). “But these ideas are important for the Federal Council. He has to explain which ideas are also capable of national majority. “
New appointment wanted
Cassis will soon present the idea with the most majority to EU Vice-Commission President Maros Sefcovic. A meeting was actually planned at the now canceled WEF in Davos. They are now looking for a new date, says Cassis. “It is in the interests of both sides to initiate a political dialogue.” But this political dialogue will only get off the ground if Switzerland makes very specific proposals to the EU.