After Switzerland ended negotiations with the EU on a new framework agreement, a parliamentary group of Socialist Party members is pushing for Switzerland to become a member of the EU, according to the newspaper Le Matin.
The parliamentary group, which has the support of the party’s leadership, argues that full membership of the bloc is the best solution in terms of both democracy and sovereignty.
A parliamentary motion put forward by Fabian Molina aims to force the Federal Council to begin negotiations for Switzerland to join the EU. Roger Nordmann, head of the Socialist Party at the federal level said that we must now drop the taboo on joining.
While the motion might be difficult to pass it is not impossible. In addition to many in the Socialist Party, the idea also has support among members of the Green and Liberal Green parties after recently failing to find agreement on a new arrangement between Switzerland and the EU.
A key argument presented for full membership is the impact no deal could have on trade between Switzerland and the bloc. The current relationship is governed by a patchwork of old agreements that are not easy to update or replace when they expire. In May 2021, an agreement on the trade of medical devices expired. This means that products, such as respirators and syringes, that are certified in Switzerland can no longer be sold in the EU. Slovenian customs recently blocked exports of Swiss medical devices.
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Le Matin article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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