Here you will find media information on matters concerning European policy. Press releases and other information for the media from the various federal departments and offices can be accessed via the Federal Administration’s media portal.
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21.10.2016
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Press release
DEA
The Slovak president, Andrej Kiska, arrived in Switzerland for an official visit on Friday, 21 October. In the morning he toured the ETH Zurich with President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann. Later the Slovak president was received with military honours at the Lohn country residence. The official talks focused on the themes of European policy and bilateral relations, particularly from an economic perspective, and also covered education, research and innovation. Slovakia currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union.
19.10.2016
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Press release
DEA
This afternoon, Finance Minister Ueli Maurer received his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Kažimír, in Bern. The talks focused on an exchange on the macroeconomic situation in Europe and the most important international financial and tax issues.
17.10.2016
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Press release
DEA
On Monday, 17 October, President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann greeted Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in Geneva at the start of his state visit to Switzerland. The two presidents then went on to visit the Campus Biotech research centre. In the afternoon Portugal’s head of state was received by the full Federal Council in Bern. The main themes covered during the official discussions included cooperation in the fields of education and research, energy, environmental and climate policy, and European policy issues.
11.10.2016
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Press release
DEA
Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Didier Burkhalter received the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström for a working visit today. The talks, held at Hôtel DuPeyrou in Neuchâtel, covered bilateral relations and EU policy. Cooperation between Switzerland and Sweden in international forums and topical international issues were also on the agenda for discussion.
30.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
At its meeting on 28/29 September 2016 the ETH Board made key decisions in order to invest in strategic research areas which are crucial for Switzerland. It also discussed the current implementation status of the Mass Immigration Initiative. In the view of the ETH Board, the National Council’s recent decision lays the foundations for the Croatia protocol to be quickly ratified by the Federal Council so that Switzerland could remain within Horizon 2020.
23.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
During its meeting today, the Federal Council amended the tariffs for vehicles which are subject to the mileage-related heavy vehicle charge (LSVA). The new tariffs will enter into force on 1 January 2017. In this way, the decisions to promote the shift of transalpine goods transport which the Federal Council took in principle with the 2015 report on the transfer of traffic will be implemented.
19.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann met with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in Zurich on Monday to discuss the current state of relations between Switzerland and the European Union. One of the main topics was the implementation of Article 121a of the Federal Constitution on immigration. In the evening, the two presidents attended an event to mark the 70th anniversary of the historic speech on Europe given by Winston Churchill in Zurich.
14.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
This autumn, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Education (SERI) will open an ESA Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) in Switzerland. In addition to technical expertise and business-development support, ESA BIC Switzerland will also provide start-ups with up to EUR 500,000 in funding, which makes this a very interesting programme for young Swiss companies. The programme aims to support innovation in the space industry and the transfer of space technology to other fields.
14.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann today met the British Minister of State for Trade Policy, Lord Price. The meeting focused on the state of bilateral economic relations. Discussions also covered the outcome of the UK referendum to leave the EU, and its impact on the country’s future trade policy. The two partners agreed that bilateral economic relations should be maintained and strengthened. The bilateral dialogue should be intensified in the coming months.
10.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann concluded his visit to Malta on Saturday by meeting Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. He was received for a state visit on Friday by the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. The Republic of Malta will assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2017.
07.09.2016
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Press release
DEA
The Federal Council has extended the 2014–2016 interim solution for Swiss participation in individual projects of the European mobility programme Erasmus+ by one year, thus providing interested Swiss nationals the opportunity to participate in European mobility and cooperation projects until the end of 2017.
23.08.2016
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DEA
Today, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer attended the informal working meeting of German-speaking finance ministers in Vaduz. He discussed current financial and fiscal policy issues with his counterparts Wolfgang Schäuble (Germany), Hans Jörg Schelling (Austria), Adrian Hasler (Liechtenstein) and Pierre Gramegna (Luxembourg).
28.04.2014 —
Press release
EDA
Today, Switzerland and the European Union have signed an agreement on Switzerland’s participation in the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali). The agreement will enable Switzerland to support EUTM Mali with civilian expertise.
16.04.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Following the suspension of negotiations on Switzerland’s association to Erasmus+, the Federal Council tasked the EAER with drawing up an interim solution for 2014. This was approved at today’s Federal Council meeting. The interim solution gives priority to mobility activities and is based on the principle that Switzerland wishes to regain full associate country status.
15.04.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Die Delegationen der Schweiz und der Europäischen Union (EU) haben sich am 15. April 2014 in Brüssel zur zehnten Sitzung des Gemischten Ausschusses des bilateralen Abkommens für das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen getroffen. Zentrale Themen waren das Inkrafttreten des revidierten WTO-Übereinkommens über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen und die entsprechende Anpassung der nationalen Gesetzgebungen im Bereich des öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens.
15.04.2014 —
Press release
EDA
Die Delegationen der Schweiz und der Europäischen Union (EU) haben sich am 15. April 2014 in Brüssel zur zehnten Sitzung des Gemischten Ausschusses des bilateralen Abkommens für das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen getroffen. Zentrale Themen waren das Inkrafttreten des revidierten WTO-Übereinkommens über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen und die entsprechende Anpassung der nationalen Gesetzgebungen im Bereich des öffentlichen Beschaffungswesens.
26.03.2014 —
Press release
DEA
On Wednesday, the Federal Council discussed next steps with regard to the various EU-policy dossiers, following the adoption of the "against mass immigration" initiative. It has mandated the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to enter into consultations with the European Union, in cooperation with the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) and in agreement with other departments concerned. In particular clarification must be obtained on how discrimination against Croatia can be avoided.
07.03.2014 —
Press release
DEA
The Federal Council has acknowledged the decision of the European Commission to suspend Switzerland’s association to the EU’s Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 and MEDIA programmes and instead give Switzerland third-country status from 2014. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) have been asked to draw up interim solutions for the three programmes.
07.03.2014 —
Press release
EDA
The Federal Council has acknowledged the decision of the European Commission to suspend Switzerland’s association to the EU’s Erasmus+, Horizon 2020 and MEDIA programmes and instead give Switzerland third-country status from 2014. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) have been asked to draw up interim solutions for the three programmes.
Neuchâtel, According to the Cross-border Commuter Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the number of foreign nationals crossing the border to work in Switzerland rose by 3.8% during 2013. More than half of the cross-border workforce lives in France (52.4%). Approximately a quarter lives in Italy (23.7%) and a fifth in Germany (20.5%). The cross-border workforce still tends to work in lower-skilled jobs.
Bern, Today in Bern, State Secretary Jacques de Watteville and the Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, Pascal Saint-Amans, met for a working visit. They discussed the status of the OECD project on corporate taxation (BEPS, base erosion and profit shifting) and the work on developing the global standard for the automatic exchange of information. The Swiss delegation also included the Director of the Federal Tax Administration, Adrian Hug.drian Hug.
21.02.2014 —
Press release
DEA
Die Referenzpreise gemäss Protokoll Nr. 2 des Freihandelsabkommens Schweiz-EU von 1972 über bestimmte landwirtschaftliche Verarbeitungserzeugnisse werden per 1. März 2014 aktualisiert. Die Vertreter der Schweiz und der EU im Gemischten Ausschuss des Freihandelsabkommens haben am 13. Februar 2014 dem entsprechenden Beschluss zugestimmt. Der Bundesrat hat die Unterzeichnung des Beschlusses zur Anpassung der Referenzpreise am 12. Februar 2014 genehmigt. Parallel zu den Referenzpreisen zur EU werden jene zu Drittländern angepasst.
09.02.2014 —
Press release
DEA
The Swiss population has adopted a popular initiative aimed at stopping mass immigration. This brings with it a change of system in Switzerland’s immigration policy. The new constitutional provisions require that immigration be restricted by means of quantitative limits and quotas. The Federal Council will set to work on implementing these without delay.
Bern, 04.02.2014 - Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, Head of the Federal Department of Finance (FDF), paid a working visit to Athens today, where the focus was on talks with the Greek Finance Minister, Yannis Stournaras.
02.06.2017 —
DEA
The integration of greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector into the emissions trading scheme (ETS) is a necessary step in order to link the Swiss and European schemes. At its session on 2 June 2017 the Federal Council approved the Ordinance governing the acquisition and reporting of data from the aviation sector. In line with the intention of the European Union, it is only domestic flights in Switzerland or flights from Switzerland to member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) that are concerned.
30.03.2017 —
DEA
On 30 March Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), met European Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip, who is responsible for the digital single market, and the Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström. The main themes included cooperation in the field of digitalisation and bilateral trade relations, particularly updating the existing bilateral agreements.
14.11.2016 —
DEA
The withholding tax agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom will be terminated on 1 January 2017. The agreement between Switzerland and the EU on the automatic exchange of information in tax matters will enter into force on that date. On 14 November 2016, Switzerland and the United Kingdom signed a corresponding agreement in London to ensure a smooth transition between the two models.
23.08.2016 —
DEA
Today, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer attended the informal working meeting of German-speaking finance ministers in Vaduz. He discussed current financial and fiscal policy issues with his counterparts Wolfgang Schäuble (Germany), Hans Jörg Schelling (Austria), Adrian Hasler (Liechtenstein) and Pierre Gramegna (Luxembourg).
06.07.2016 —
DEA
Today, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the introduction of the automatic exchange of financial account information with Iceland, Norway, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man, Japan, Canada and the Republic of Korea, and submitted it to Parliament for approval. The proposal met with widespread approval in the consultation.
29.06.2016 —
DEA
During its meeting today, the Federal Council adjusted the Financial Market Infrastructure Ordinance. The transitional periods for financial market infrastructures were extended by a year in line with developments in the EU.
The electorate of the United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union in a referendum. The current regulations regarding Swiss citizens and companies will remain valid for the time being. A list of answers to frequently asked questions is available on the website of the DEA.
01.06.2016 —
DEA
With the gathering this morning of the one thousand randomly selected representatives of the public for the first trips through the Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT), the opening festivities for the world's longest railway tunnel have begun. For the festival involving half a dozen heads of state and government, everything is ready. More than 2,000 individuals from the army, police, federal government, Swiss Federal Railways, AlpTransit Gotthard (ATG) and private companies are in action. In addition, 300 media professionals have been accredited from around 20 nations, including the USA, Canada, China, Japan, Kuwait and Chile as well as Switzerland's neighbouring countries.
31.05.2016 —
DEA
Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard met the transport ministers of the Alpine countries today as part of the Zurich Process. The conference was held in Lugano this year to mark the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Transport ministers from the Alpine countries meet regularly to discuss issues of transport safety as well as the modal shift policy. The presidency passed from Slovenian infrastructure minister, Peter Gašperšič, to his Italian colleague Graziano Delrio.
13.04.2016 —
DEA
Today, Switzerland and the European Union (EU) have signed two agreements on Switzerland's participation in EUCAP Sahel Mali, the EU's civilian mission for the reform of the security sector in Mali, and in EUAM Ukraine, the EU advisory mission for civilian security sector reform in Ukraine. These two agreements form the basis for the secondment of Swiss civilian experts to these missions.