Switzerland insistents on managing immigration independently, without EU interfering.
Swiss-EU Immigration Standoff Over 'Safeguard Clause'
The Swiss government's insistence on maintaining a safeguard clause in their Free Movement of Persons Agreement (AFMP) with the EU has been a significant roadblock in ongoing negotiations. While Switzerland wants to preserve this clause, the EU advocates for its elimination.
This clause, initially included in the AFMP agreed upon at the end of the 1990s, enables the Swiss government to reintroduce permit quotas for foreigners if immigration from any country surpasses a predetermined threshold.
Politicians and economists across Switzerland champion the safeguard clause as an essential tool to manage immigration when it surpasses reasonable limits. Christoph Mäder, president of Economiesuisse, reiterated this sentiment in a recent interview, stating that Switzerland must retain control over its immigration policy to meet its own needs.
While recognizing Switzerland's benefits from free movement and its continuing reliance on skilled workers from the EU, Mäder also highlighted the issue of over-immigration. He argued that the influx of EU workers often strains infrastructure, with economic migration sometimes unrelated to the demands of the labor market.
Switzerland has long relied on immigrants from the EU to meet its skilled labor demands, with the current number exceeding 1.4 million. The AFMP has facilitated this, making it easier for Swiss companies to tap into the EU's labor pool, particularly for qualified workers.
Despite general acceptance of the need for foreign workers, the prospect of ceding control of immigration policy to the EU is a major concern for many in Switzerland. This concern is rooted in the country's direct democratic system, which requires referendums for new laws to become binding. While most agreements between Brussels and Switzerland are expected to pass, any deal relating to immigration policy faces strong opposition, according to Mäder.
Switzerland's safeguard clause is a point of contention due to its potential impact on the EU's single market principle, which emphasizes uniform regulations for all participants. The clause compromises this principle by granting Switzerland flexibility in immigration controls, a feature that the EU finds problematic. However, the preservation of national interests and the balancing of supranational integration remain ongoing challenges in negotiations.
[1] Source: European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights[2] Source: European Policy Centre
- The Swiss government, in the on-going negotiations with the EU, insists on maintaining the safeguard clause in the Free Movement of Persons Agreement (AFMP), which the EU aims to abolish.
- The safeguard clause, previously agreed upon in the 1990s, empowers the Swiss government to reintroduce permit quotas for foreigners if immigration exceeds predetermined thresholds.
- Swiss politicians and economists, like Christoph Mäder, president of Economiesuisse, view the safeguard clause as crucial for managing immigration and ensuring the country meets its own needs.
- Despite the general acceptance of the need for foreign workers, Swiss concerns over relinquishing control of immigration policy to the EU persist, particularly in light of their direct democratic system, which necessitates referendums for new laws to take effect.
