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| Switzerland ends 7 years of treaty negotiations with EU over disagreements on 'key aspects' | Switzerland ends 7 years of treaty negotiations with EU over disagreements on 'key aspects' |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Swiss government has said it will abandon seven years of negotiations for a framework agreement with the EU, arguing Brussels had not met its conditions for the deal, which would have simplified relations between the pair. | The Swiss government has said it will abandon seven years of negotiations for a framework agreement with the EU, arguing Brussels had not met its conditions for the deal, which would have simplified relations between the pair. |
| Switzerland’s Federal Council, its ruling executive, announced the decision to scrap efforts to ink the much-delayed accord at a press conference on Wednesday following a cabinet meeting. | Switzerland’s Federal Council, its ruling executive, announced the decision to scrap efforts to ink the much-delayed accord at a press conference on Wednesday following a cabinet meeting. |
| It “concluded that there remain substantial differences between Switzerland and the EU on key aspects of the agreement.” | It “concluded that there remain substantial differences between Switzerland and the EU on key aspects of the agreement.” |
| The framework agreement was intended as an all-encompassing treaty to replace the more than 120 individual bilateral agreements Switzerland currently has with the 27-member European trading bloc. | The framework agreement was intended as an all-encompassing treaty to replace the more than 120 individual bilateral agreements Switzerland currently has with the 27-member European trading bloc. |
| The disagreements centered on three key issues, on which Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told reporters the government could not afford to make further concessions. | The disagreements centered on three key issues, on which Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told reporters the government could not afford to make further concessions. |
| These included state aid, wage protection and EU citizens’ access to Swiss benefits, with the latter two matters proving especially difficult to reach a consensus. | These included state aid, wage protection and EU citizens’ access to Swiss benefits, with the latter two matters proving especially difficult to reach a consensus. |
| The Federal Council said it hoped to launch a “political dialogue” with the EU to develop future relations and that Switzerland should continue to remain a “reliable and committed partner” of the bloc. | The Federal Council said it hoped to launch a “political dialogue” with the EU to develop future relations and that Switzerland should continue to remain a “reliable and committed partner” of the bloc. |
| The European Commission said in a statement that it acknowledged Switzerland’s decision but it “regrets” the move. | The European Commission said in a statement that it acknowledged Switzerland’s decision but it “regrets” the move. |
| The EU’s executive said that, without the framework agreement, existing bilateral treaties “will inevitably age,” including the 50-year-old Free Trade Agreement, which is already “not up to speed.” | The EU’s executive said that, without the framework agreement, existing bilateral treaties “will inevitably age,” including the 50-year-old Free Trade Agreement, which is already “not up to speed.” |
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