Andreas Künne: ‘Without free movement you would work longer, retire late’
Keystone-SDA
Without free movement with the European Union, the Swiss would be forced to work longer every day and would retire later, says Andreas Künne, the new EU ambassador in Bern.
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In his first interview since presenting his credentials to Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter on Thursday, the career diplomat told the Aargauer Zeitung he has often been to Switzerland, especially to Zurich, Geneva, and Lucerne, but does not know the country well enough.
“Of course I would like to visit as many cantons as possible. However, there are rules for official visits: I can only officially visit four cantons a year. And as a good European I stick to the rules. Other trips to all regions of Switzerland, however, are possible at any time and are also planned,” he said.
“I was told, of course, that some things are different in Switzerland than in other countries and that I should pay special attention to this,” the 59-year-old added. “In principle we start from the same values. Switzerland is a Western country with which we share democratic and liberal values. What is special about Switzerland is certainly its direct democracy and its federal system. However, the European Union is also a federal entity. And my two home countries, Germany and Austria, also have strong federal elements,” he said.
“I have great respect for the stability and reliability with which Switzerland has developed,” he emphasised. “Direct democracy is an integral part of the Swiss federal constitution. This naturally leads to controversial debates, which are a fundamental element of all democracies. I am curious to see this closely.”
‘Great respect for direct democracy’
In the near future, the Swiss people will vote on new agreements with the EU. “As ambassador, I never meddle in voting campaigns,” the diplomat assured. “If I am asked, I will of course provide objective information and talk to the parties concerned. But when it comes to the pros and cons of the referendum campaign, the responsibility lies with the political forces in Switzerland.”
“We have great respect for direct democracy. That is why, in the new agreements, we have granted Switzerland something absolutely extraordinary, which not even the member states of the European Economic Area have: Switzerland has the possibility of rejecting a new EU internal market rule. In addition, the Confederation can participate in the drafting of new EU legislation that affects it: it thus sits at the negotiating table, even though it is not a member.”
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However, the paper pointed out, if the people were to reject a new provision, it would risk sanctions from the EU. “Such a vote is preceded by a long process. If the Swiss people were to reject a new provision anyway, it would be logical for compensatory measures to be taken. It is a bit like in sport: if one team gets an exception to the rules, the other team needs some sort of compensation. This is not a restriction, but an expansion of freedom of choice. The alternative would be that the first team cannot participate in the match.”
The central point of the new arrangements will once again be the possibility for European workers to settle in Switzerland. “Thanks to the free movement of persons, EU citizens come here because Swiss companies need labour,” the former ambassador to the Czech Republic (2021-2025) points out. “In this sense, immigration is an engine of Swiss prosperity.”
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“Alternatives to the free movement of persons would probably be an increase in weekly working hours and the retirement age, or a growth in investments of Swiss companies abroad,” he said. “On top of that there is illegal immigration from abroad. This is a problem we also have in the EU, and I believe it is a problem we can only solve together.”
“Switzerland is a natural partner and political ally in Europe: I am not saying this as a representative of the EU, but as a European,” he added. “We have common interests, be it world trade, climate protection or the security and stability of Europe. And it is in our common interest to work together in a rule-based global system.”
Translated from Italian by DeepL/ts
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