Here you will find media information on matters concerning European policy. Press releases and other information for the media from the various federal departments and offices can be accessed via the Federal Administration’s media portal.
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15.12.2020
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Press release
EDA
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) is working throughout the world to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In Athens, on 15 December, it delivered two special patient transport vehicles and two ISO containers, to be used as mobile examination rooms, to the health service responsible for the Aegean islands. An initial consignment for Greece had previously been delivered on 4 December. Further supplies will be delivered on 18 December, with a final consignment at the end of January, bringing the project to a close.
14.12.2020
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Press release
DEA
Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin and the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, signed the Services Mobility Agreement (SMA) on 14 December 2020 in London. The agreement secures reciprocal, facilitated market access for service providers from Switzerland and the United Kingdom from 1 January 2021.
10.12.2020
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Press release
DEA
From 1 January 2021, imports of animals and animal products from the United Kingdom into Switzerland will be subject to the same conditions as imports from countries outside the European Union. This has consequences for travellers wishing to import animals or products of animal origin from the United Kingdom into Switzerland.
10.12.2020
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Press release
DEA
Switzerland, represented by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, took over the Presidency of the Alpine Convention from France at the 16th Alpine Conference on 10 December 2020. During its two-year incumbency, Switzerland will focus on climate protection and the modal shift policy in the Alpine region, and will work closely with other Alpine States to achieve its aims.
04.12.2020
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Press release
DEA
The Federal Council approved on 4 December 2020 an agreement between Switzerland and the UK on the mobility of service suppliers. The agreement provides reciprocal, facilitated market access for service suppliers to close a looming gap after the agreement on the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK) will cease to apply as of 1 January 2021. The conclusion of this agreement is part of the Federal Council's "mind-the-gap" strategy following the UK’s exit from the EU.
20.11.2020
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Press release
EDA
On 20 November 2020, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, met with Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Arancha González Laya. The talks focused on the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, relations with the European Union and bilateral relations between Switzerland and Spain. The Spanish minister's visit was also an opportunity to discuss multilateral commitments and International Geneva.
17.11.2020
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Press release
DEA
President Simonetta Sommaruga took part in separate hour-long video conferences with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister António Costa. Portugal assumes the presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 January 2021. The talks held yesterday and today focused on European policy, overcoming the coronavirus pandemic, climate and environmental issues, bilateral relations and railway investment.
16.11.2020
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Press release
EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis met today in Bern with France's Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian. The talks centred on French-Swiss cooperation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and European policy. Current international affairs were also discussed.
04.11.2020
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Press release
EDA
"In these unusual times, close cooperation between our states is the only adequate response to the difficulties we are currently facing," stated Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at the 130th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE). Under Greece's chairmanship, the foreign ministers at the session adopted the 'Athens Declaration', reaffirming their existing commitments to respond effectively to public health crises while respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law – the CoE's founding values. Key representatives also met to celebrate 70 years of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
27.10.2020
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Press release
DEA
The 25th meeting of the Joint Committee for Research and Innovation between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) / Euratom took place on 27 October. Discussions focused on implementation of the existing agreement between Switzerland and the EU on Horizon 2020, the Euratom programme and the international fusion reactor ITER.
22.10.2020
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Press release
DEA
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 23rd meeting of the Swiss – EU Joint Committee on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) was held today by video conference. The delegations from Switzerland and from the European Union and its member states discussed various matters relating to the AFMP’s application and development. The two partners stressed the importance of their close cooperation in managing the public health crisis.
15.10.2020
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Press release
EDA
On 15 October 2020 Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, met in Oslo with Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide. Mr Cassis and Ms Eriksen Søreide praised the excellent relations between Switzerland and Norway. In addition to bilateral relations, their talks focused in particular on the two countries' relations with the EU and their close cooperation within EFTA and the UN.
28.04.2014 —
Press release
EDA
Today, Switzerland and the European Union have signed an agreement on Switzerland’s participation in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali). The agreement will enable Switzerland to support EUTM Mali with civilian expertise.
16.04.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Following the suspension of negotiations on Switzerland’s association to Erasmus+, the Federal Council tasked the EAER with drawing up an interim solution for 2014. This was approved at today’s Federal Council meeting. The interim solution gives priority to mobility activities and is based on the principle that Switzerland wishes to regain full associate country status.
15.04.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Die Delegationen der Schweiz und der Europäischen Union (EU) haben sich am 15. April 2014 in Brüssel zur zehnten Sitzung des Gemischten Ausschusses des bilateralen Abkommens für das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen getroffen. Zentrale Themen waren das Inkrafttreten des revidierten WTO-Übereinkommens über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen und die entsprechende Anpassung der nationalen Gesetzgebungen im Bereich des öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens.
15.04.2014 —
Press release
EDA
Die Delegationen der Schweiz und der Europäischen Union (EU) haben sich am 15. April 2014 in Brüssel zur zehnten Sitzung des Gemischten Ausschusses des bilateralen Abkommens für das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen getroffen. Zentrale Themen waren das Inkrafttreten des revidierten WTO-Übereinkommens über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen und die entsprechende Anpassung der nationalen Gesetzgebungen im Bereich des öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens.
26.03.2014 —
Press release
DEA
On Wednesday, the Federal Council discussed next steps with regard to the various EU-policy dossiers, following the adoption of the "against mass immigration" initiative. It has mandated the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to enter into consultations with the European Union, in cooperation with the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) and in agreement with other departments concerned. In particular clarification must be obtained on how discrimination against Croatia can be avoided.
07.03.2014 —
Press release
DEA
The Federal Council has acknowledged the decision of the European Commission to suspend Switzerland’s association to the EU’s Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 and MEDIA programmes and instead give Switzerland third-country status from 2014. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) have been asked to draw up interim solutions for the three programmes.
07.03.2014 —
Press release
EDA
The Federal Council has acknowledged the decision of the European Commission to suspend Switzerland’s association to the EU’s Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 and MEDIA programmes and instead give Switzerland third-country status from 2014. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) have been asked to draw up interim solutions for the three programmes.
Neuchâtel, According to the Cross-border Commuter Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the number of foreign nationals crossing the border to work in Switzerland rose by 3.8% during 2013. More than half of the cross-border workforce lives in France (52.4%). Approximately a quarter lives in Italy (23.7%) and a fifth in Germany (20.5%). The cross-border workforce still tends to work in lower-skilled jobs.
Bern, Today in Bern, State Secretary Jacques de Watteville and the Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, Pascal Saint-Amans, met for a working visit. They discussed the status of the OECD project on corporate taxation (BEPS, base erosion and profit shifting) and the work on developing the global standard for the automatic exchange of information. The Swiss delegation also included the Director of the Federal Tax Administration, Adrian Hug.drian Hug.
21.02.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Die Referenzpreise gemäss Protokoll Nr. 2 des Freihandelsabkommens Schweiz-EU von 1972 über bestimmte landwirtschaftliche Verarbeitungserzeugnisse werden per 1. März 2014 aktualisiert. Die Vertreter der Schweiz und der EU im Gemischten Ausschuss des Freihandelsabkommens haben am 13. Februar 2014 dem entsprechenden Beschluss zugestimmt. Der Bundesrat hat die Unterzeichnung des Beschlusses zur Anpassung der Referenzpreise am 12. Februar 2014 genehmigt. Parallel zu den Referenzpreisen zur EU werden jene zu Drittländern angepasst.
09.02.2014 —
Press release
DEA
The Swiss population has adopted a popular initiative aimed at stopping mass immigration. This brings with it a change of system in Switzerland’s immigration policy. The new constitutional provisions require that immigration be restricted by means of quantitative limits and quotas. The Federal Council will set to work on implementing these without delay.
Bern, 04.02.2014 - Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF), paid a working visit to Athens today, where the focus was on talks with the Greek Finance Minister, Yannis Stournaras.
30.06.2015 —
DEA
On 30 June 2015 in Zagreb, Switzerland and Croatia signed the bilateral framework agreement which regulates the substance and implementation of the Swiss enlargement contribution to Croatia. Switzerland has allocated CHF 45 million to support projects in Croatia, in particular in the fields of water treatment, supply of drinking water, research and vocational education and training.
In a popular vote held on 30 November 2014, 74.1% of the Swiss people and all the cantons have rejected the popular initiative «Stop overpopulation – safeguard our natural environment» (Ecopop initiative).
19.11.2014 —
DEA
Today, the Federal Council approved a declaration on Switzerland joining the multilateral agreement on the automatic exchange of information in tax matters. This international agreement, which was developed within the framework of the OECD, forms a basis for the future introduction of the cross-border automatic exchange of information. The question regarding the countries with which Switzerland should introduce this exchange of data is not affected by the signing of the multilateral agreement; it will be presented to Parliament separately at a later stage.
30.10.2014 —
DEA
During President Didier Burkhalter’s working visit to Paris on Thursday, the French president, François Hollande, accepted the Federal Council’s invitation to pay a state visit to Switzerland. The visit will take place next year. During their discussions, the two presidents addressed the status of Basel-Mulhouse airport. Mr Burkhalter and Mr Hollande stressed the importance of the airport’s binational character for the region as a whole.
22.10.2014 —
DEA
In its meeting today, the Federal Council approved the agreement on Switzerland’s participation in the Horizon 2020 research programme. The agreement covers Switzerland’s partial association to the programme between 15 September 2014 and 31 December 2016. It allows researchers from Switzerland to take full part in selected parts of Horizon 2020 and to apply for the sought-after grants provided by the European Research Council. The agreement provides for Switzerland’s full association to Horizon 2020 between 2017 and 2020, provided a solution can be found to the issue of the free movement of persons.
08.10.2014 —
DEA
During its meeting today, the Federal Council adopted definitive negotiation mandates for introducing the new global standard for the automatic exchange of information in tax matters with partner states. The competent parliamentary committees and the cantons were consulted on the mandates in recent months. Negotiations with partner states should commence shortly.
18.02.2014 —
DEA
The President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr Didier Burkhalter, informed German Chancellor Angela Merkel today about the outcome of the popular vote on the mass immigration initiative and the next steps to be taken by the Federal Council to implement the new constitutional provision on immigration. Ms Merkel assured Mr Burkhalter that Germany would play a constructive part in the aspects of the discussions that touch on EU policy. The meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier centred on the situation in Ukraine and the possible role of the OSCE, which is chaired by Switzerland in 2014, in defusing the crisis. Mr Burkhalter will travel from Berlin to Paris, where he will meet with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius this evening.
09.07.2013 —
DEA
The fourth round of negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union on the linking of their respective CO2 emissions trading systems was held in Zurich on 8 July 2013. Further progress was made at the negotiations. The aim of completing the technical negotiations by the end of the year was corroborated.