Swiss agree to curb immigration and rethink EU deal

Voters in Switzerland narrowly approved a rightwing proposal to curb immigration in a referendum held on the 9 February 2014. The proposal would imposes limits on the number of foreigners allowed in and might signal an end to the country’s free movement accord with the European Union.

Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga described the outcome as 'a pivotal decision with far-reaching consequences'.

In a statement, the government said the referendum reflected the 'unease of population growth in recent years'. It now must submit a proposal to parliament on how it can be implemented.

The European Commission issued a statement expressing its 'regret' that the vote had passed and warned that all treaties would be reviewed after the vote.

• Primary Source

BBC News, 09.02.14: Swiss immigration: 50.3% back quotas, final results show http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26108597

Deutsche Welle, 09.02.14: Swiss voters narrowly back referendum curbing immigration http://dw.de/p/1B5pf

ESO: Background information: Business groups urge Swiss to reject migration quotas in referendum http://www.europeansources.info/record/business-groups-urge-swiss-to-reject-migration-quotas-in-referendum/

European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/14/96: Déclaration de la Commission européenne suite à la votation en Suisse sur l’initiative « immigration massive http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-96_fr.pdf

France24, 09.02.14: Switzerland narrowly votes to curb immigration http://www.france24.com/en/20140209-switzerland-referendum-immigration-vote-split-close-call/

Swissinfo.ch, 09.02.14: Cautious European reaction to Swiss vote http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Cautious_European_reaction_to_Swiss_vote.html?cid=37918274

EUObserver, 10.02.14: EU warns Switzerland after anti-migrant vote http://euobserver.com/justice/123060

EurActiv, 10.02.14: EU-Swiss relations in turmoil after immigration vote http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/eu-swiss-relation-hangs-doubt-im-news-533366

Euronews, 09.02.14: Switzerland votes in favour of capping immigration into the country http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/09/switzerland-votes-in-favour-of-capping-immigration-into-the-country/

The Guardian, 10.02.14: Switzerland backs immigration quotas by slim margin http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/swiss-referendum-immigration-quotas

The New York Times, 09.02.14: Swiss Voters Narrowly Approve Curbs on Immigration http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/world/europe/swiss-voters-narrowly-approve-curbs-on-immigration.html

Deutsche Welle [Opinion], 10.02.14: EU unhappy with Swiss decision http://dw.de/p/1B5t0

Euronews, 09.02.14: EU warns Switzerland all treaties will be reviewed after anti-immigration vote http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/09/eu-warns-switzerland-all-treaties-will-be-reviewed-after-anti-immigration-vote/

Euronews, 10.02.14: Swiss voters cause upset with EU over support for immigration quotas http://www.euronews.com/2014/02/10/swiss-voters-cause-upset-with-eu-over-support-for-immigration-quotas/

Deutsche Welle, 10.02.14: Swiss vote to stem immigration could cause 'a lot of problems' http://dw.de/p/1B5vq

The Guardian, 10.02.14: French minister condemns 'worrying' Swiss vote on EU immigration http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/french-minister-swiss-vote-immigration

Switzerland: Swiss Confederation: Federal Office of Statistics: Political Atlas: Referendum on immigartion, 09.02.14. Voting patterns http://www.atlas.bfs.admin.ch/core/projects/12/fr-fr/viewer.htm?12.16443.fr

Blog: Open Europe, 10.02.14: Europe responds to the Swiss referendum - and it ain't pretty http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/europe-responds-to-swiss-referendum-and.html

Blog: Open Europe, 10.02.14: EU immigration: Why Ukip should pay close attention to what happens next in Switzerland http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/eu-immigration-why-ukip-should-pay.html

Spiegel Online International, 10.02.14: A Land of Money and Fear: The Swiss Vote Against 'Mass Migration' (Commentary) http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/analysis-of-swiss-vote-against-mass-migration-a-952531.html

European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/14/100: EU-Swiss relations http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-100_en.pdf

Euro|Topics: Tag: Switzerland / Migration http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_results/?searchnewsletter=1&where=article&searchwords=&year_from=2005&month_from=12&day_from=8&year_to=2014&month_to=2&day_to=10&topic[]=14763®ion[]=303&land[]=all&media=all&language=all&searchnewsletter=Search

EUObserver, 10.02.14: Swiss vote jeopardises involvement in multi-billion EU programmes http://euobserver.com/news/123077

EurActiv, 11.02.14: Swiss did not weigh consequences of referendum, EU says http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/eu-swiss-referendum-debate-conse-news-533409

Swissinfo.ch, 10.02.14: Economics minister: ‘We misjudged it’ http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Economics_minister:_We_misjudged_it_.html?cid=37926784

Social Europe Journal, 28.02.14: The Swiss Referendum, Free Movement, Xenophobia, and Substitution Effects http://www.social-europe.eu/2014/02/swiss-referendum-free-movement-xenophobia-substitution-effects/

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