ZURICH (Reuters) – The European Union will not reopen parts of a paralyzed bilateral treaty with Switzerland, the EU ambassador to the Alpine Republic said in an interview with the Blick newspaper, taking a tough stance on Swiss doubts about years-long negotiations .
“What we are not going to do is reopen the controversial dossiers,” Petros Mavromichalis told the Swiss newspaper. “The negotiations are concluded.”
Switzerland has said in the past that it seeks clarification on issues such as state aid, EU citizens’ access to Swiss social security benefits and unilateral Swiss rules designed to protect the country’s high-paid labor market from competition from international workers.
Mavromichalis said that Swiss demands, including requiring European Union companies to register their intention to work in Switzerland eight days in advance, are unacceptable, saying a four-day registration rule is sufficient.
“Four days is enough time,” he said, adding that the requirement that EU companies also pay a deposit before working in Switzerland to cover possible financial penalties for breaking labor rules is out of the question.
“When you assume that a company is criminal just because it is not Swiss, that is somewhat insulting,” Mavromichalis told Blick.
The unresolved treaty would formalize ties in five areas – free movement of people, civil aviation, land transport, mutual recognition of industrial standards and processed agricultural products. Switzerland would agree to adopt EU single market rules in these areas.
It was delayed for a long time due to opposition from right-wing Eurosceptics who oppose the bloc’s immigration, as well as workers’ unions cautious about any deal that could allow wage dumping by high-cost companies based outside Switzerland.
(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Hugh Lawson)