Swiss-EU talks find little room for negotiation

Switzerland and the European Union 'remain far apart' in their positions in negotiations over the 2014 vote to re-introduce quotas on EU immigrants, according to Swiss President (and Justice Minister) Simonetta Sommaruga who was in Brussels for a key meeting on the subject on the 2 February 2015.

The Swiss government presented a bill on the 11 February 2015 for new quotas on immigration from the European Union, a year after voters narrowly approved such curbs and put the country on a collision course with Brussels.

The Local.ch reported on the 16 February 2015 a survey which showed that nearly half the Swiss population were ready to sacrifice bilateral agreements with the EU in order to implement the anti-immigration initiative that was passed in the referendum in February 2014.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Swiss seek to avert EU immigration clash with 'safeguard' clause http://www.europeansources.info/record/swiss-seek-to-avert-eu-immigration-clash-with-safeguard-clause/

Corriere del Ticino, 03.02.15: Bern in a dilemma over immigration (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE157709-Bern-in-a-dilemma-over-immigration

Tages-Anzeiger, 29.01.15: Switzerland must agree on immigration with EU (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE157485-Switzerland-must-agree-on-immigration-with-EU

The Local.ch, 22.01.15: Immigrants swell to third of Swiss population http://www.thelocal.ch/20150122/immigrants-rise-to-more-thank-third-of

The Local.ch, 11.02.15: Swiss cabinet unveils EU immigration quotas bill http://www.thelocal.ch/20150211/federal-cabinet-unveils-bill-for-eu-immigrant-quotas

The Local.ch, 16.02.15: Survey: Swiss will forgo EU over immigration http://www.thelocal.ch/20150216/survey-swiss-will-forgo-eu-for-quotas

Swissinfo.ch, 14.02.15: Sommaruga defends EU immigration quota plan http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sommaruga-defends-eu-immigration-quota-plan/41273672

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

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