The bilateral route is once again in the spotlight. At a time when the negotiations on the bilateral agreements III are about to be concluded, the Boussole Europe association is launching the popular initiative “Against Switzerland being a passive member of the European Union (EU)”. To avoid such a scenario, the text provides that any agreement involving the dynamic resumption of European law must be submitted to the vote of the people and the cantons.
According to the initiators, the strengthening of direct democracy would allow Switzerland to pursue an independent economic policy. But the real objective lies elsewhere: Boussole/Europe wants to prevent the conclusion of new agreements with the EU which, in its eyes, threaten the advantages of our economic place and our competitiveness.
The demands of this small active minority in no way reflect the opinion of the majority of Swiss companies
Marco Taddei
Thus, an essentially employers’ association (Boussole Europe counts among its 2,500 members a majority of entrepreneurs) paints a negative picture of bilateral agreements which would be harmful to the national economy. Let’s say it out loud: the demands of this small active minority in no way reflect the opinion of the majority of Swiss companies.
The economic arguments in favor of bilateral agreements, repeated many times, deserve to be recalled. The prosperity of Switzerland, which earns one in three francs from its trade with the EU, is largely based on the bilateral route. A royal road in terms of growth and employment since 2002. It facilitates not only non-discriminatory access to the single market, but also the recruitment of personnel from the EU, which advantageously complements the indigenous workforce. A crucial asset to deal with the staff shortage.
Since May 26, 2021, the abandonment of the framework agreement has plunged the Swiss economy into uncertainty and legal insecurity. From this date, the erosion of the bilateral path has hit several sectors of our economy head-on. Thus, the medical technology sector has been excluded from the new European regulation on medical devices. Other sectors could suffer the same fate.
Compass Europe waves the red rag of the dynamic resumption of European law, likely to compromise our sovereignty. However, such a regulatory development would only concern a limited number of bilateral agreements. Regarding the protection of wages, which is at the heart of the negotiations with the EU, the introduction of a “non-regression clause” will prevent Switzerland from having to repeat developments in European law.
The bilateral path is strewn with pitfalls: after the UDC and the unions, here is Boussole Europe which comes to play spoilsport. Error. Regardless of its opponents, this path remains the best option for businesses: membership of the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA), the conclusion of free trade agreements or isolationism would clearly be less advantageous than the adoption of new bilateral agreements.
