Swiss Group Calls For Full EU Membership
by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels
03 December 2003

A group of notable Swiss personalities ranging from four ex-cabinet ministers to famous architects and an astronaut is urging the government to commence negotiations with Brussels next year with a view to becoming a full member of the European Union.

The group, which argues that Switzerland’s best interests are not properly being served by simply adopting European legislation without having any input into the legislative process, said in a recent statement that the cabinet should make the issue a priority when re-elected on December 10.

“It is unthinkable that the new parliament should ignore Switzerland’s number one foreign policy issue,” says Jacques Pilet, a publicist and a signatory of the appeal.

“The political parties should agree on their aims ahead of the upcoming cabinet elections. So it is important that the issue is put on the agenda,” added Rolf Bloch, a businessman and fellow signatory.

The Swiss government has said it will decide within the next four years whether to open accession talks with the EU. However, following October’s general elections the political complexion of the country has changed somewhat after the euro-sceptic People’s Party won the largest share of seats in parliament, and this is unlikely to advance the pro-euro lobby’s cause very far in the near future.

“Negotiations on a possible EU membership have to stop immediately and the bilateral agreements have to be reviewed,” remarked Hans Fehr, a member of the People’s Party, shortly after the elections.

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