As the Commission and European Parliament call for a tougher stand with Switzerland over respect for free movement of persons, at domestic level the Swiss government is finding itself somewhat isolated in its position of wanting to perpetuate bilateralism with the EU.
The Federal Council's strategy of trying to reconcile this principle with implementation of the anti-immigration initiative secured only half-hearted support from the National Council (people's chamber) on 6 May. In a vote of 101 to 85, it backed…
Protectionism affects EU food
The National Council decided, on 6 May, to exclude food from the scope of the 'Cassis de Dijon' principle to which Switzerland unilaterally adhered in 2010. Under pressure from the agricultural industry and greens, it accepted this step backward despite the Federal Council's negative opinion. Economy Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann called in vain for maintaining the principle in order to guarantee lower costs and prevent cross-border shopping tourism, which costs the Swiss economy around €2.3 billion. The other chamber in the Swiss parliament, the Council of States, still has to vote.