The first part of this all-day event looks at the EU's models of cooperation with some non-member states in Europe. Experts from the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland will present their observations on the individual models (EEA, EU‒UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and Switzerland's 'autonomous replication' of EU law). Based on these presentations, the parliamentarians will discuss Switzerland's European policy options for the future.
The second thematic block is devoted to Parliament's rights of participation in European policy. Separate from the debate on Switzerland's future options in European policy is the issue of whether and how Parliament wishes to strengthen its participatory rights. The discussions will include the workings of the Norwegian Parliament's European Consultative Committee and also the cantons' rights of participation in European policy. Together with the invited speakers, parliamentarians will examine various specific approaches to strengthen their participatory rights.
In accordance with Article 8 paragraph 5 of the Federal Assembly Ordinance on International Parliamentary Relations, the presidents of the delegations to international parliamentary assemblies and the Foreign Affairs Committees (FAC) confer once a year to coordinate their activities. At the initiative of the two FAC presidents, all members of these parliamentary bodies have been invited this year for the first time and the scope of the event has been broadened.
After the meeting (at approx. 5.15pm), the two FAC presidents will be available to answer questions from the media outside conference room 301.