Switzerland's big deal with the EU: Switzerland is now as close to Europe as it can get without a full EU membership. Swiss president Joseph Deiss shares his views on the latest developments on the international and the domestic front.
| Auteur | Heddema, Renske |
| Fonction | Politics |
On May 19 this year, two years of forceful negotiations between the European Union (EU) and Switzerland were officially wrapped up in Brussels. The EU consented to guarantee Swiss banking secrecy in exchange for Bern's cooperation in allowing it to tax EU residents' savings in Swiss banks. This arrangement has brought Switzerland and EU closer to each other without the country actually joining the Union.
Hence, though locally, Swiss President Joseph Deiss lost some support in the recent referenda, on the international front, he has booked positive results. Saving Swiss banking secrecy, and at the same time, assuring that Switzerland can cooperate more closely with the EU in security and asylum matters, spells out success.
Reflecting on the bilateral treaty, which now is within reach, Deiss recognises that a lot of paperwork lies ahead. Yet he is confident that the wording of texts can now be finalised without further hampering.
Swiss News had the opportunity to speak to the President.
Renske Heddema: How do you explain the acceleration and decision in the Swiss-EU talks in the past few weeks?
Deiss: The EU is as much a 'Realpotitiker' as is Switzerland. Countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands and France were particularly adamant on not granting us privileges that would upset the balance in EU regulations. Allowing Switzerland to levy a 'paying agent's' tax on savings disturbs the EU system of automatic exchange of information between countries. However, the EU also knows that the Swiss government can only do so much.
What good is it if our diplomats, after negotiations in Brussels, come home with the message that they have given away Swiss banking secrecy? The EU knows, just as we do, that a referendum would be the immediate result. A referendum asking the Swiss people to endorse this deal would be chanceless. It would mean that years of negotiations would have gone down in vain. So the EU was just as ready for compromise as we were.
Meanwhile, some EU countries such as the Netherlands gave us the clear message that Switzerland is welcome to join the EU as a full member. As a wise mother, however, they leave it to us to decide the appropriate moment.
How much cash will the paying agents' tax on Swiss savings accounts of EU citizens bring to the EU? Hans Kaufmann, a financial specialist of the Swiss People's party estimates that not more than CHF 750 million a year is likely to flow back to the EU--a low mount compared to the EU's estimate of CHF 500 to 1400 billion.
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