The interparliamentary meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views at parliamentary level on the exploratory talks between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) on the settlement of institutional issues. The meeting was co-chaired by MEP Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany) and Council of States member Benedikt Würth (The Centre, SG).
At its special meeting on Europe on 29 March, the Federal Council came to the conclusion that the previous rounds of talks between Switzerland and the EU had created a positive dynamic. It subsequently decided to have the key parameters of a negotiating mandate drawn up by the end of June. At their meeting in the European Parliament, the parliamentarians exchanged views on further steps towards a possible start of negotiations. They discussed the latest round of talks between State Secretary Livia Leu and Head of Cabinet Juraj Nociar on 20 April, the cantons’ position statement of 24 March and the visit to Switzerland by European Commission vice president Maroš Šefčovič on 15 and 16 March.
The interparliamentary meeting was also an opportunity to debate the European Parliament’s
draft report on EU-Switzerland relations, which was discussed for the first time in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on the same day.
Another point of discussion at the interparliamentary meeting concerned cooperation between Switzerland and the EU in the area of foreign policy. This agenda item addressed joint efforts to support Ukraine, the implementation of sanctions against Russia and a possible expansion of security and defence policy cooperation between Switzerland and the EU.
On the two agenda items, exploratory talks and foreign policy cooperation, the parliamentarians heard the views of the head of the Swiss Mission to the EU in Brussels, Ambassador Rita Adam, the head of the EU delegation in Bern, Ambassador Petros Mavromichalis, and Marko Makovec, deputy managing director at the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Finally, the parliamentarians exchanged views on the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Switzerland-EU relations. With a view to a possible institutional solution between Switzerland and the EU, it was of interest to know under which conditions and with which competences the ECJ could become active in the context of a dispute settlement procedure. Professor Juliane Kokott, Advocate General at the ECJ, and Professor Matthias Oesch, Professor of Public Law, European Law and International Economic Law at the University of Zurich, gave a presentation on this agenda item.
The agenda of the interparliamentary meeting was published on the
website of the European Parliament and the meeting was livestreamed.
On the second day of its visit to Brussels, the delegation held bilateral talks on current financial market topics. At a meeting with the Single Resolution Board, its Vice Chair gave a presentation on the European resolution framework, the crisis management and the established fund for systemically important European banks. In another exchange with former ambassador Alexis Lautenberg and lawyer Simon Hirsbrunner, Switzerland’s strategic positioning in the face of various foreign policy challenges was discussed.
The Federal Assembly was represented at the interparliamentary meeting by delegation president Benedikt Würth (The Centre, SG), National Council members Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter (The Centre, BL) and Eric Nussbaumer (SP, BL), and Council of States member Carlo Sommaruga (SP, GE).
The 42nd interparliamentary meeting in Brussels, co-chaired by MEP Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany) and Council of States member Benedikt Würth (The Centre, SG)
Meeting with the Single Resolution Board (SRB), which is responsible for promoting the financial stability of systemically important European banks.
Delegation President Benedikt Würth thanks the SRB Vice-Chairman and his team
The EFTA/EU delegation follows the explanations on Switzerland's strategic positioning in the face of the various foreign policy challenges
Former Ambassador Alexis Lautenberg and Delegation President Benedikt Würth