WRITTEN QUESTION E-1934/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 July 2002)

Subject: Bilateral agreements between the EU and Switzerland

The recent entry into force of the bilateral agreements between the EU and Switzerland should be accompanied by the establishment of a Joint Committee or a standing working party which includes representatives from both parties.

At a recent meeting which I attended in Berne at the invitation of the Swiss trade union representing workers in industry and the construction sector, and which was also attended by ambassadors from a number of EU countries (though not by any Commission representative), it became clear that there was an urgent need for a Commission representation to be set up in Switzerland for the purpose of facilitating discussion of current problems, particularly ones relating to migration.

Are there any plans for a Commission representation to be set up in Switzerland, and within what timescale?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2002)

The Commission shares largely the analysis on which the question of the Honourable Member is based. With regard to the external relations of the Union, Switzerland is one of the most important countries. In terms of economic relations Switzerland ranks second in trade in goods and services behind the United States. Also, its central location within the Union calls for cooperation in a wide range of issues.

That is why, already in its Communication of 17 of July 1998 on the evolution of the External Service when the Commission had decided on a number of changes to its external representation network it was stated that the opening of a Delegation to Switzerland was envisaged (the other being Delegations to Azerbaijan, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, and Offices in Taiwan, Paraguay and Ecuador).

However, for several reasons this was not possible. The principal obstacle to opening the new Delegations at the time was the lack of financial and human resources, especially in view of the events that took place in the Balkans in 1999. The magnitude of that crisis and the urgency of the response have reverberated to this day. This, and the financial structures decided in Berlin, have to a large extent disrupted the planned allocation of the scarce resources available to the External Service of the Commission.

Since then, in deciding where to open new delegations, the Commission had to take a hard look at its most pressing priorities. An analysis was undertaken of those regions where it is still underrepresented politically taking into account both the importance of the trade component and the implementation of external assistance.

Moreover, the resulting programme set out in the Commission Communication of 3 July 2001 was to be budget neutral. What this has meant is that in order to open new external representations, the Commission has had to rationalise elsewhere, either by slimming down some delegations or by closing a number of offices. In the meantime other factors came to play to further complicate the financial situation such as the equally pressing need to open in Afghanistan earlier this year and, until recently, the adverse exchange position of the single currency. This has forced the Commission to stagger out the foreseen openings over the period up to the end of 2002.

The Commission is aware of the increased need of cooperation with the Swiss authorities and an efficient monitoring of Swiss policies.

With the start of bilateral negotiations in several areas, the follow up of existing agreements and the deconcentration of the Commission's information policy, a Commission delegation that will help defend the Union's interests within Switzerland becomes even more important.

However, while the Commission has the matter under review it can give at this stage no undertaking as to the timing of the opening of a Delegation to Switzerland.