Swiss May Vote For Bilateral Treaties With The EU On May 21st
On May 21st, the Swiss will vote in a referendum on a series of
bilateral accords worked out between Switzerland and the EU over
a number of years, and covering many aspects of the single market,
including freedom of movement and transport. Two Swiss parties
have voted on the referendum in recent days, both unanimously
- one to oppose it, and one to support it. The 55 delegates
of the Liberal party, meeting in Berne said 'yes', and the 118
delegates of the right-wing Swiss Democrats, meeting in Wil, not
surprisingly said 'no' - it was this party that called for the
referendum in the first place. The Swiss have previously
voted against joining the EU, and many of them see the 'Accords'
as little different from full-out joining. But increasingly Switzerland
is in an impossible position on many levels, landlocked and surrounded
by EU countries which want to (and do) cross its territory with
enormous and growing volumes of people and trucks, while its financial
'products' such as investment funds need access to the EU market-place.
Eventually it will be impossible for the Swiss to resist the extension
of their existing links with the EU, but the jury is still out
on whether this will be the time it happens. Recent polls show
the 'yes' camp in the lead with about 53% in favour of the 'bilaterals'
as they are called, while 45% are against. See an extensive
analysis of the choice facing Switzerland (in French) in the Tribune
de Geneve at: .
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