Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-26-Speech-4-013"
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"en.20070426.4.4-013"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome the statements made today by Commissioner Almunia. I believe that these statements also largely meet with the consent of my group. The relationship between the European Union and Switzerland has been a special one since time immemorial. Commissioner Almunia touched on the various agreements.
In this respect, our partnership with Switzerland is characterised by particularly close cooperation but which has not, as yet, ended up with Switzerland becoming a member of the European Union. Nevertheless, Switzerland is an extremely important trading partner as well as being a friend and neighbour. I find this particularly congenial since my electoral district directly borders Switzerland. I would therefore like to appeal to all sides not to jeopardise these good neighbourly relations by means of stubbornness or excessive demands placed on one side or the other.
The tax dispute has already been touched on. The topic of Switzerland would certainly also be cause for a comprehensive discussion here in Parliament. Today, however, as has been described by Commissioner Almunia, we are obviously concerned with the subject of fiscal practices. On this theme, I would like to say that, unlike our colleagues from Great Britain, for instance, and representations to the contrary coming out of Switzerland, we are of the opinion that this issue does not involve intervention in a country’s right to levy taxes, but is more an issue of whether enterprises which belong to the European single market, and which may enjoy the advantages afforded by this single market, are receiving unjustified subsidies. We are talking about the principle of equal treatment and the abolition of hidden subsidies. In this respect, the approach adopted by the Commission, that the Swiss have to apply some finishing touches here, is the correct one, even if it may have been more prudent to begin with negotiations instead of a procedure. The statement that it is a matter for the canton is neither applicable nor effective in my opinion because what we are talking about are hidden subsidies which must be abolished.
For its part, the EU must clarify the fact that while it naturally respects Switzerland’s sovereignty on tax matters, the EU’s basic principles, which Swiss enterprises also benefit from, must apply to all enterprises within the internal market.
Finally, I would like to point out that we must find a solution to this problem in the interests of European enterprises, as well as its citizens, to which both parties have contributed. That is why I am calling on both the Commission and our Swiss neighbours."@en1
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