https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The European Union on Tuesday called on the Swiss government to act within "coming days" to help clear up ongoing concerns over a crucial draft deal on the future of bilateral relations between Switzerland and the EU. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190611/impatient-eu-pressures-switzerland-to-back-bilateral-deal-by-june-18th-framework-agreement Tue, 11 Jun 2019 22:28:46 +0200 impatient-eu-pressures-switzerland-to-back-bilateral-deal-by-june-18th-framework-agreement The diplomatic dance between Switzerland and the European Union continues with the Swiss government now announcing it won’t sign a draft deal on bilateral relations with Brussels in its current form. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190611/why-switzerland-wont-be-signing-draft-eu-deal-for-now Tue, 11 Jun 2019 12:52:08 +0200 why-switzerland-wont-be-signing-draft-eu-deal-for-now A total of 60 percent of Swiss voters say they are in favour of the current draft deal on the future of the country's bilateral relations with the EU, according to a new poll. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190401/most-swiss-back-draft-deal-on-future-relations-with-eu-framwork-agreement Mon, 01 Apr 2019 12:03:38 +0200 most-swiss-back-draft-deal-on-future-relations-with-eu-framwork-agreement After four years of intense and occasionally bad-natured negotiations, Switzerland and the European Union have finally come up with a draft deal on future bilateral relations. But what is it all about? Why does it matter? And will the deal ever see the light of day? https://www.thelocal.ch/20181213/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-swisseu-deal Thu, 13 Dec 2018 08:23:38 +0100 what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-swisseu-deal With talks between Switzerland and the European Union over a proposed new institutional framework deal threatening to fail, the Swiss foreign minister is set to announce a rescue plan that involves breaking up the negotiations into smaller pieces. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180903/switzerland-eyes-eu-deal-lite-in-bid-to-rescue-failing-talks-with-brussels Mon, 03 Sep 2018 23:37:28 +0200 switzerland-eyes-eu-deal-lite-in-bid-to-rescue-failing-talks-with-brussels The president of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) confirmed on Wednesday that enough signatures had been collected to force a referendum on the issue of the right of EU citizens to live and work in Switzerland. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180627/new-svp-anti-immigration-plan-threatens-swiss-eu-talks Wed, 27 Jun 2018 11:51:38 +0200 new-svp-anti-immigration-plan-threatens-swiss-eu-talks Never has a proposed law diverged so far from the text of a publicly-voted referendum. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160922/swiss-press-criticize-berns-capitulation-on-immigration Thu, 22 Sep 2016 13:09:58 +0200 swiss-press-criticize-berns-capitulation-on-immigration Politicians from the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) have slammed the Swiss parliament’s decision to favour a ‘light’ implementation of the February 2014 anti-immigration initiative as unconstitutional. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160922/swiss-mps-clash-over-eu-friendly-immigration-plan Thu, 22 Sep 2016 11:05:44 +0200 swiss-mps-clash-over-eu-friendly-immigration-plan Negotiations between Switzerland and the EU over immigration resumed on Monday when the Swiss president, Johann Schneider-Ammann, met with EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Zurich. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160920/swiss-eu-negotiations-resume-but-no-deal-yet Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:57:09 +0200 swiss-eu-negotiations-resume-but-no-deal-yet More people than ever are taking part in Switzerland’s study abroad scheme, despite the fact the country is no longer a full member of the EU’s Erasmus programme. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160830/record-numbers-sign-up-for-swiss-erasmus-replacement Tue, 30 Aug 2016 13:03:10 +0200 record-numbers-sign-up-for-swiss-erasmus-replacement The Swiss president, Johann Schneider-Ammann, thinks Switzerland will find “an amicable solution” to its immigration issue with the EU in the end, though that will not now come, as previously hoped, before the summer break. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160718/window-narrows-for-swiss-eu-immigration-deal Mon, 18 Jul 2016 12:27:16 +0200 window-narrows-for-swiss-eu-immigration-deal Switzerland and the EU should come to a temporary agreement over immigration, the president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, told the Swiss press on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160704/schulz-switzerland-is-important-to-the-eu Mon, 04 Jul 2016 12:15:48 +0200 schulz-switzerland-is-important-to-the-eu Nearly half the Swiss population are ready to sacrifice bilateral agreements with the EU in order to implement the anti-immigration initiative that was narrowly passed in a referendum a year ago, according to a new survey. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150216/survey-swiss-will-forgo-eu-for-quotas Mon, 16 Feb 2015 14:14:00 +0100 survey-swiss-will-forgo-eu-for-quotas Populist Swiss cabinet minister Ueli Maurer says he doesn’t believe Switzerland’s string of deals with the European Union are at risk following a national vote to restrict immigration. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140224/unthinkable-that-eu-accords-will-be-scrapped-maurer Mon, 24 Feb 2014 12:29:00 +0100 unthinkable-that-eu-accords-will-be-scrapped-maurer The Swiss overwhelmingly want to hold on to a string of deals with the European Union despite voting last week to curb immigration from the bloc, a poll published on Sunday showed. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140216/swiss-support-other-deals-with-eu-poll Sun, 16 Feb 2014 18:51:00 +0100 swiss-support-other-deals-with-eu-poll