{"id":97910,"date":"2021-05-11T17:23:15","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T17:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/tre-gradi-di-separazione-fra-la-svizzera-e-lunione-europea\/"},"modified":"2021-05-11T17:54:30","modified_gmt":"2021-05-11T17:54:30","slug":"three-degrees-of-separation-between-switzerland-and-the-european-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/three-degrees-of-separation-between-switzerland-and-the-european-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Three degrees of separation between Switzerland and the European Union"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three degrees of separation between Switzerland and the European Union<\/h1>\n

Invalidable for the Federal Council the obstacles of wage protection, the directive on the free movement of EU citizens and state aid<\/em><\/h3>\n

On Friday, May 7, 2021, a delegation of the Federal Council consisting of the President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, Federal Councillors Alain Berset and Ignazio Cassis as well as the Federal Chancellor, Walter Thurnherr, met with the heads of the government parties in the so-called “von Wattenwyl talks”.
\nThe discussions once again focused on the pandemic and its consequences as well as European policy.
\nAfter the renewed increase in the number of infections since mid-February 2021, the number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths due to the coronavirus stabilized in the second half of April.<\/p>\n

The “von Wattenwyl talks” and the search for a compromise<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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The south fa\u00e7ade of the von Wattenwyl House in Bern’s ‘old town’ overlooking the River Aare<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One in ten inhabitants of Switzerland has already been vaccinated<\/h4>\n

This trend is continuing in May, supported by the progress of the vaccination campaign.
\nMore than 10% of the population is now fully vaccinated and vaccination capacities will continue to increase in May.
\nThe Federal Council delegation and government parties discussed upcoming openings and the progress of the vaccination campaign.
\nCautious new reopenings seem possible; the Federal Council will discuss this at its May 12 meeting. The COVID certificate, which will be implemented by the end of June, was also discussed.<\/p>\n

In Switzerland the COVID19 certificate is universal and cannot be falsified.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Coronavirus vaccine vials<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Just -2.9% drop in Swiss GDP in 2020<\/h4>\n

Last year, the crisis due to COVID 19 caused the strongest contraction of the Swiss economy in decades. Gross domestic product in 2020 fell by 2.9 percent compared to the previous year.
\nThe tightening of health measures led to a sharp reduction in business activity in some segments of the service sector.
\nThe federal government responded by adopting various stabilization measures.<\/p>\n

Anti-COVID measures gone, Switzerland will start to run<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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GDP per employee, expressed in thousands of francs, in 2014 in the various Swiss cantons (Source Credit Suisse)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More than CHF 40 billion from the Confederation<\/h4>\n

In total, the Confederation has so far allocated just under 40 billion francs for the management of the pandemic (2020: 15 billion in actual expenditures; 2021: 23.6 billion in already approved expenditures), plus guarantees and sureties amounting to around 20 billion francs.
\nIn addition, the massive use of short-time work has stabilized the labor market and largely maintained the purchasing power of workers.<\/p>\n

Business support for foreign infrastructure projects<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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The millionaires in francs are 330,000 in Switzerland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still insurmountable differences between Bern and Brussels<\/h4>\n

With regard to European policy, the Federal Council delegation informed the participants about the progress of the dossier.
\nSubstantial differences remain between Switzerland and the EU on the outstanding points of the institutional agreement concerning the protection of salaries, the directive on the free movement of EU citizens and state aid.
\nThe Federal Council has reiterated that without satisfactory solutions in these areas the agreement cannot be concluded.
\nAfter consultation with the Foreign Policy Committees on 26 May and consultation with the cantons, it will make an overall assessment and decide on the next steps.<\/p>\n

Council of Europe: Who will represent the Swiss territories?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n