The EFTA trade alliance is preparing the contingency plans in case Britain leaves the European Union without a deal on its future ties with Brussels, EFTA’s secretary general told a Swiss newspaper. "Solange sich Bern und Brüssel nicht auf ein #Rahmenabkommen einigen, ist der #EWR das einzige Modell für enge Nachbarschaftsbeziehungen mit der EU, das…
Tag: Switzerland
EU-Swiss talks on ice
Prospects for a new treaty formalising ties between Switzerland and the European Union, its biggest trading partner, appeared bleak after four years of negotiations failed to produce a effect by the EU mid-October deadline. Switzerland and the EU fail to make headway in negotiations whose success is key to ensuring the smooth functioning of Zurich’s…
Vatican hopes to recover Caravaggio masterpiece
The Vatican has called a conference of exerts in an attempt to recover “the world’s most wanted painting”, a Nativity by Caravaggio brutally stolen from a Palermo church allegedly by the Mafia 39 years ago, the day after it was phrased in a TV show about ‘forgotten‘ art treasures. Recently the investigators made a trip to…
Russia appalled by EU “selective memory”
Russian Representation to the EU reacted upon the declaration of the European External Action Service on the 10th anniversary of the “conflict between Russia and Georgia“. “…Above-mentioned EU Declaration leaves a strange impression – as if very recent history has been universally forgotten, providing a blank space to write it anew. Starting with its title,…
Swiss ranked fifth in World Press Index
Switzerland has upgraded its place from seventh to fifth in this year’s World Press Freedom Index of 180 countries compiled by Reporters without Borders (RSF). However, the Swiss ascendance has taken place in a deteriorating environment for journalists worldwide, including in Europe. The main takeaway from the 2018 #RSFIndex? The unleashing of hate speech against…
Swiss reconsider CHF1,3 billion pledge to EU
In the aftermath of the EU decision to limit the access to financial exchanges to Swiss , the Alpine country plunged into serious reflection over the future of the relations between the neighbours. The new President of Swiss Confederation Alain Berset said there was a presumption Brussels will also make a gesture towards the Helvetic…
Leuthard for EU referendum in Switzerland
A referendum in Switzerland considering the clarification of the citizens attitude towards relationship with the European Union would be helpful, Swiss President Doris Leuthard said on Sunday, after ties between the two sides cooled this week. https://twitter.com/inpplus_eng/status/944971195002294274 Switzerland presumes the European Union is out to undermine its financial industry by granting Swiss stock exchanges only a…
UK: from free movement to Swiss model?
New research carried out by leading immigration expert professor Jonathan Portes shows it may be feasible for the UK to remain in the single market – temporarily or permanently – while changing the way free movement of people operates to provide greater control. Let’s ‘take back control’ of immigration – and increase it https://t.co/tkVFvadVB0 via…
Swiss mediate Spain-Catalonia
Neutral Switzerland is in touch with Spain and Catalonia about resolving a row over the region’s moves towards independence but conditions for promoting talks are not yet ripe, the foreign ministry in Bern said. #Switzerland prepared to build a platform for dialogue between #Catalonia and #Spain ➡️https://t.co/IXxPeJOslo . — Catalan News (@catalannews) October 6, 2017…
Swiss restrict Bulgarian and Romanian labor
Switzerland will restrict Bulgarian and Romanian citizens’ access to its labor market within one year amid increased migration from those countries after limits were lifted last June. Switzerland slaps immigration limits on Romania & Bulgaria workers as free movement accord brings too many newcomers https://t.co/Who5e85vik — swissinfo.ch (@swissinfo_en) May 10, 2017 The Swiss cabinet, whose…