National councilor for million dollar contribution to protect the EU’s external border Corina Gredig replaces Tiana Angelina Moser as group leader of the GLP faction

According to the will of the National Council, Switzerland must continue to contribute financially to the protection of the Schengen external borders. As the first council, the Grand Chamber approved a corresponding proposal on Wednesday. This involves a contribution of approximately 300 million francs over a period of seven years.

The National Council took its decision with 105 votes in favor, 65 votes in favor and 21 abstentions. The deal goes to the Council of States.

In concrete terms, this concerns payments to a fund to support the Schengen states that have a long land or sea border. The so-called BMVI fund replaces an older fund that Switzerland has collapsed into since 2018 and which expired in 2020. It applies to the period 2021 to 2027.

For security purposes

Switzerland, for its part, will receive financial resources of around 50 million francs from the fund for national measures, the Federal Council wrote in August when passing the message to parliament.

According to the Federal Council and the majority of the advisory committee, the fund serves to ensure the security of Switzerland and prevent irregular migration.

It is also a sign of solidarity, the majority of the committee writes in its statement. However, she stressed that human rights at the Schengen external borders must be respected. At the same time, there is a need for transparency about the expenditure of the fund’s resources.

SVP did not want to come in

An SVP minority requested in vain not to participate. She criticized the protection of the Schengen external borders as not working. The EU countries have not kept their promises. Moreover, the contribution requested from Switzerland is disproportionately high.

“This template goes beyond good and evil,” says Erich Hess (SVP/BE). Switzerland is getting scammed. The Schengen external border will remain porous even with more money. The SVP called for the reintroduction of systematic border controls at the Swiss border.

The Social Democrats, the Center and the FDP supported the proposal. The SP supports the basic idea of ​​the fund, according to Priska Seiler Graf (SP/ZH). At the same time, the Federal Council is encouraged to “keep a very close eye” on how the funds are used.

Organized crime and terrorism cannot be fought alone, according to Maja Riniker (FDP/AG).

For the Greens, concerns about human rights predominated. A large part of the group abstained from voting. Parliamentary group spokeswoman Mariona Schlatter (ZH) said the Swiss contribution should have been subject to clear conditions.

(jam/sda)