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Weekly technical talks: Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
Reza RafiDeputy Editor-in-Chief SonntagsBlick
For the digitized zeitgeist, paper has lost its magic. With the exception of politics, where everything gains in importance as soon as it is immortalized in a printed product: what is in a thesis paper, a “white paper” or even a secret paper automatically arouses interest.
Yesterday the FDP delegates in Dübendorf ZH approved a position paper on economic policy. The section on the nation’s crucial question, the relationship with the EU, is instructive. They want to “further develop bilateral relations”, especially since non-discriminatory access to the internal market and “regulated cooperation” with Brussels are “essential” for the country, it says.
May 26, 2021, on which the Federal Council sunk the framework agreement, resonates. The Elaborat is a document of the tactical standstill; the free-thinking strategists would probably prefer it if the European dossier did not become acute before the national elections in autumn. Party President Thierry Burkart (47) may also remember that 40 percent of FDP voters said yes to the mass immigration initiative in 2014. The European integration is therefore acknowledged with just one dry sentence: “The institutional questions are to be approached with a topic-specific, sectoral perspective.”
The appearance of Ignazio Cassis (61) at the party congress was in striking contrast to the cloud of words in the position paper: the liberal foreign minister reported with defiant optimism about “progress” in the talks with Brussels; they are in the final sprint. The Ticino pushes the pace.
In fact, it can be heard from those close to the FDFA head that the technical talks are taking place every week and that State Secretary Livia Leu (62) has positive things to say about the exploratory talks.
Will the Federal Council soon issue an EU negotiating mandate?
Cassis is getting a boost from the cantons. You are a key player in the whole process. The most important points of contention – state aid, wage protection and the Union Citizens Directive – concern them at the core. In response to May 26, 2021, the Conference of Cantonal Governments (KdK) set up a committee to find solutions in these areas: the European Commission consists of a dozen members of the government council and is chaired by Jura economics director Jacques Gerber (49, FDP). The group is currently preparing basic sheets on the open points of contention, which are to be presented to the plenary assembly of the KdK in March.
The course is clear: Many cantons border on other countries and want non-discriminatory access to the EU area – their European friendliness is therefore higher than that of national politics. At the same time, the KdK is conducting a consultation with the governments. With the aim of agreeing on a joint statement on March 24th.
As SonntagsBlick learned from well-informed sources, Ignazio Cassis has already expressed hope to the KdK that the Federal Council could soon issue an EU negotiating mandate.
What is striking, however, is that such jubilant tones always come from the same circle of Cassis loyalists and Euroturbos – it’s only about technical details, they say, with the “vertical approach” comes success. Others warn against expedient optimism. “These are only exploratory findings,” comments an FDP parliamentarian. “The decisive point is foreign policy feasibility. So far there is no indication.”
The only thing that is agreed is that Brussels wants to move forward. The deadline is early summer 2024, when the staff will change with the European elections. A window of opportunity could open on March 15th. Then the EU Commissioner responsible for Switzerland, Maros Sefcovic (56), will visit the Confederation. The occasion is an invitation from the University of Freiburg. As SonntagsBlick has learned, an offer of talks in Bern is also pending.