As a result of a referendum, the Swiss are trying to negotiate with the EU to have some control on Immigration in areas where it's affecting Swiss jobs.
It's time the EU allowed some flexibility in it's policies on free movement and employment.
I don't understand why sovereign countries aren't allowed to make their own decisions on migrant workers. If the demand is there employ them, if it's not put some basic limits in place. It can all be done within a framework that treats people fairly.
It's quite simple Mike. The deal by which Switzerland finally gained access to the single market (after 7 years of negotiation following the 1992 referendum) included their signing up to the Schengen agreement. They were therefore obliged by a treaty obligation, freely entered into, to allow EU nationals access to live and work in Switzerland.
Their subsequent 2014 referendum about limiting this access clearly put them in breach of the treaty they had signed up to. The EU then immediately started taking action '(such as removing the rights of Swiss students to participate in the Erasmus scheme).
This is not about EU bullying. It is about Switzerland keeping to their side of the bargain they made.
