BASEL: The Swiss government plans to send parliament next year a broad new treaty with the European Union to replace a patchwork of bilateral deals now under strain from immigration, it said on Tuesday, but it faces stiff right-wing resistance.
Swiss voters have long been leery of ceding too much power to the 28-nation bloc that surrounds the historically neutral Alpine country and buys most of its exports, and rising EU immigration has stoked fears for Swiss identity and sovereignty.
Parliament is due next month to wrap up legislation meant to curb immigration from the EU by giving hiring preference to local people despite criticism this would infringe on the free movement of people, a pillar of EU policy and the price of enhanced Swiss access to the EU single market.
Brussels has taken a hard line on free movement of people to avoid encouraging Britain to believe it can obtain special terms as it negotiates its divorce from the EU after a June referendum vote to exit the bloc.
The government’s 2017 legislative priorities included its proposal for the new treaty, which is opposed by the assembly’s biggest faction, the far-right Swiss People’s Party (SVP).
“Such an agreement will enable existing market access accords to be maintained and used more efficiently, as well as develop further the bilateral approach and conclude new market cooperation agreements between Switzerland and the EU,” the federal cabinet said in a statement.
These could include accords on financial services and electricity that are missing in the current hodgepodge of around 120 deals.
