- The Council of States wants to quickly unblock the outstanding cohesion contribution of 1.3 billion Swiss francs to the EU.
- He has decided to release the corresponding framework credit without new conditions.
- The National Council decides in the evening.
The Council of States debated the bill for two hours. In the end, the small chamber approved the release of the cohesion billion with 30 to 9 votes. It followed the Federal Council and its Foreign Policy Commission (APK-S), which had approved the bill with 11 to 2 votes.
Cohesion Billion – that’s what it’s about
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On December 3, 2019, Parliament approved the framework credit for a second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states.
In total, the so-called cohesion billion is worth a good 1.2 billion Swiss francs, which are to be paid out over ten years. The goal: to reduce economic and social inequalities between old and new EU countries.
The largest part is earmarked for the Cohesion Framework Credit. Specifically, over a billion Swiss francs will flow to the 13 EU member states that have joined the European Union since 2004, namely Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus . Among other things, vocational training projects are to be financed there.
High time pressure
The time pressure is particularly high in the cohesion projects because that underlying law expires at the end of 2024. According to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the funds must therefore be committed by December 3, 2024.
Around 190 million francs are to go to countries that are particularly affected by migration . These are to be supported in their efforts to strengthen the asylum structures and establish a more efficient asylum and return procedure.
In 2006 the electorate approved the first cohesion billion in a referendum vote. As a result, Switzerland has been making an enlargement contribution since 2007.
The councils approved the second Swiss contribution to the eastern EU member states in the amount of 1.3 billion francs in 2019. However, the parliament decided that the money should only be spoken when the EU no longer adopts any discriminatory measures against Switzerland. This related in particular to the recognition of the stock exchange equivalence that was not extended by the EU at the end of June 2019. Since then, the EU has not taken a step towards Switzerland in this regard.
No progress without approval
After the negotiations for a framework agreement have been broken off, the Council of States wants to once again send a positive signal to the EU by releasing the cohesion billion. “The mutual blockade policy has not achieved the desired goals on either side, so we have to end it,” said Commission spokesman Matthias Michel (FDP / ZG). After the termination of the negotiations on the framework agreement, it is now necessary to reassess the interests.
“It is the basis for the continuation of the bilateral path.” Pirmin Bischof (center / SO) pointed out that the cohesion payments are owed for Switzerland’s market access. Daniel Jositsch (SP / ZH) admitted that nobody could promise that the EU would take a step towards Switzerland after the funds were released. But it is clear: “Without approval we will definitely not achieve anything.”
Criticism of unconditional release of funds
“Hope is a bad advisor in politics,” countered Thomas Minder (independent / SH), who spoke out against the bill on behalf of the minority of the Commission. He described the unconditional release of the funds as “wrong and grossly negligent”.
SVP President Marco Chiesa criticized the “colonialist policy” of the EU. The EU is also dependent on Switzerland as a good and important contractual partner, and not just the other way around. “A dialogue without a basis of trust is doomed to failure,” said Jakob Stark (SVP / TG).
A dialogue without a basis of trust is doomed to failure
The opponents of the proposal in the Council of States – in addition to the SVP also individual representatives of the center – further complained that the approval should take place at the speed of an express train.
Federal Council wants to set standards
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis stood on behalf of the Federal Council for a swift unblocking of the funds. “We have to look ahead now.” The Federal Council wants Switzerland to remain a reliable and committed partner of the EU even without the institutional agreement.
However, Cassis made it clear: “Approval is no guarantee that Switzerland will be able to participate in Horizon Europe or Erasmus plus in the future.” But now it is important to set an example. However, he also made it clear that he does not consider such a political linkage of unrelated transactions to be permissible.
Tonight, the National Council will decide on the release of the funds. It is expected that the Grand Chamber will also release the funds.
SRF 4 News, 09/30/2021, 11 a.m.; sda / srf / fulu; cukj
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