Further support for the EU negotiating plans from the Federal Council The letter makes the telephone to the tax authorities in Thurgau become hot

The Federal Council receives further support for the planned negotiations on Switzerland’s relations with the EU. The majority of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Council of States and the Economic Committee of the National Council support the draft negotiating mandate.

The Foreign Policy Committee of the Council of States (APK-S) approved the scope of the negotiating directives with 9 votes in favor and 3 against, with one abstention, the parliamentary services announced on Tuesday. The Economic Committee of the National Council (WAK-N) did this by 16 votes to 8.

Two yeses to the package approach

The WAK-N wants a constructive continuation of the bilateral path, but demands that the Federal Council not conclude a contract that provides for compensatory measures in other contracts. In the APK-S, the closer institutional connections, the proposed dispute settlement mechanism and the Union Citizens Directive were partly questioned critically.

Both committees support the package approach. For the APK-S, the integration of institutional rules in market access agreements and the absence of guillotine clauses in new contracts are advantages. She hopes to gain more negotiating power – and the ability to opt out of individual agreements if she is not satisfied.

The APK-S insists on additional guarantees. For example, the EU Citizens Directive should only be adopted with strict reference to the labor market. Illegal or unwanted receipt of social benefits must be prevented.

The principle of “same pay for the same work in the same place” should apply to workers posted to Switzerland, including costs. If that doesn’t work, a Swiss solution must be found domestically, in line with the practice of other EU countries.

Skepticism about electricity agreements

Both committees have criticized the intended electricity agreement. Several APK members were critical of including electricity trade and electricity production in the negotiations.

According to the Commission of the Council of States, the electricity agreement should focus on cooperation in the areas of network stability, electricity trade and security of supply. It must be guaranteed that private households and SMEs have the choice between the free market and remaining in protected basic services.

The National Council Committee, on the other hand, wants to make a rule for households and small and medium-sized businesses to continue to receive basic services. It recommends that the Federal Council refrain from further liberalization of the electricity market.

The APK-S once again requires that Swiss forms of production and capacities in the electricity sector must be contractually determined. This also applies to granting concessions. The WAK-N wants to exclude electricity production from the negotiating mandate.

The WAK-N reached the electricity agreement with a number of recommendations. For example, the negotiating mandate must be limited to the integration of Switzerland into the European electricity network and thus to network stability and, if necessary, electricity trade. Aid for electricity trade and production should not be covered by the agreement.

When updating the land transport agreement, the APK-S believes that national traffic should not be affected and routes should be secured for this purpose. If several companies compete to use the network for national transport, Switzerland must decide.

Limit the jurisdiction of the ECJ

In the opinion of the APK-S, the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) should be clearly limited. If necessary, the ECJ can only take indirect action to interpret terms from EU law, at the request of the arbitral tribunal. The arbitral tribunal must ultimately be able to decide whether to refer the matter to the ECJ.

A rapid and permanent full involvement of Switzerland in the research program “Horizon” and the exchange program “Erasmus+” is important for the APK-S, as is the cantonal government. The sister committee of the National Council also supports the Federal Council’s negotiating plans. (sda)