Head Of Swiss FDFA Meets With Minister Of European Affairs Of Netherlands

by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus

11 June 2008

Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on Monday received the Minister of European Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Frans Timmermans, for a working lunch, which took place in Bern.

During the talks, the ministers reviewed European policy.

Mrs Calmy-Rey's last official visit to the Netherlands was in 2004 during the Dutch presidency of the European Union. She therefore welcomed this opportunity to meet with Mr Timmermans in Bern.

The two delegations noted with satisfaction that relations between Switzerland and the Netherlands are excellent, and that the two countries have many points in common in the field of foreign policy.

In addition, economic and trade relations are intensive. The Netherlands are Switzerland's fifth-largest partner for imports and Switzerland's eighth-largest export market.

In 2007, the volume of imports reached CHF8.82bn, while exports totalled CHF6.62bn.

Concerning European policy, the head of the FDFA explained Switzerland's top priority to the Dutch Minister of European Affairs, namely the implementation and consolidation of the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union.

Of particular interest, she revealed, is the renewal of the Agreement on the free movement of persons after 2009 and its extension to the new member States, as well as the Agreement on Schengen/Dublin Association.

It is hoped that the Schengen/Dublin Association will become operational (in the fields of security and asylum) by the end of the year.

The two delegations additionally expressed a wish to strengthen their cooperation in the areas of justice and internal affairs, and to strengthen dialogue on international themes of mutual interest, such as climate change.

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