Swiss End-EU free movement

englishpremier said:
I'm not up on my Swiss law, but in EU countries resident members from other EU countries can vote, so one would assume that EU foreigners (if given the right to vote) in Switzerland voted No to quotas.
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Switzerland currently has about 7.5 million inhabitants; 5.6 million are Swiss citizens who have the right to vote although some cantons (states) and municipalities have granted foreigners the right to vote if they have lived a certain number of years in Switzerland.

/wikipedia
 
grumpysculler said:
I think that where there is a political point to be made (such as not using the EU treaties as some sort of pick 'n' mix menu) then if the great powers deem the hardship to be bearable then they will inflict it. It would be considered the lesser of two evils.
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Indeed the precedent it may set could be much more damaging.
 
grumpysculler said:
I think that where there is a political point to be made (such as not using the EU treaties as some sort of pick 'n' mix menu) then if the great powers deem the hardship to be bearable then they will inflict it. It would be considered the lesser of two evils.
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It could strengthen or weaken the EU... only time will tell. The benefits to members must outweigh the negatives. Prohibitive import duties could be seen as negative by some.

"If you want to trade with us you must allow x, y, and z." Isn't this just about EU trying to force itself on states ?
 
Tuppy_Glossop said:
"If you want to trade with us you must allow x, y, and z." Isn't this just about EU trying to force itself on states ?
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Not at all, they have the choice. If they don't want to abide by the terms they don't have to, there is no force there at all. What they can't have are the benefits without abiding by the terms.
 
Bear said:
Not at all, they have the choice. If they don't want to abide by the terms they don't have to, there is no force there at all. What they can't have are the benefits without abiding by the terms.
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I understand they have the choice. The politicians wanted it and the people didn't. Businesses just want to trade with low taxes. Just wondering how people feel about the EU.
 
Tuppy_Glossop said:
I understand they have the choice. The politicians wanted it and the people didn't. Businesses just want to trade with low taxes. Just wondering how people feel about the EU.
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IMO the EU can be a pain over the most ridiculous things, but in the main it is better to be in than out. There are many things that is good about the EU but unfortunately people focus on the the few possible negatives if indeed they actually are and miss the bigger picture. The Swiss situation is a prime example of that.
 
Bear said:
IMO the EU can be a pain over the most ridiculous things, but in the main it is better to be in than out. There are many things that is good about the EU but unfortunately people focus on the the few possible negatives if indeed they actually are and miss the bigger picture. The Swiss situation is a prime example of that.
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That's not particularly fair to say. Whether or not you agree with it, some people feel that mass immigration (and in some cases any) creates more problems. Personally I can see this. I'm sure there is an economic benefit for some, but I can see why a country like Switzerland with a low population wouldn't want a load of people who would dilute their cultural values.

Therefore it can be an extremely large negative, and I think it's a topic that should be debated more openly.
 
Bear said:
unfortunately people focus on the the few possible negatives if indeed they actually are and miss the bigger picture.
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Media and then people ? Negative headlines make good news. Business Enterprise Investment from Europe often just makes a local newspaper. EU Academic research funding is ignored. For me, it's the extra administration costs. When organisations rationalise to save costs they might close local offices and have one new central office. In the case of the EU we have the local offices (national government) and the central office (EU). How many layers of costs would be too many ?
 
sports_brah said:
That's not particularly fair to say. Whether or not you agree with it, some people feel that mass immigration (and in some cases any) creates more problems. Personally I can see this. I'm sure there is an economic benefit for some, but I can see why a country like Switzerland with a low population wouldn't want a load of people who would dilute their cultural values.

Therefore it can be an extremely large negative, and I think it's a topic that should be debated more openly.
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If they think the loss in trade and the wealth that it brings to the Swiss from their largest trading partner for control of boarders to stem the flow of immigrants is worth it then it is up to them. Whether the population has thought further than too many immigrant here I don't like it, remains to be seen.
 
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