Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-26-Speech-4-015"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070426.4.4-015"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
Mr President, I wish to thank the Commissioner for his statement.
Here in Parliament we have long wanted to discuss the whole of our relationship with Switzerland and to celebrate Swiss success in three successive referendums on EU issues – referendums that would scarcely have passed in many of our Member States. Although Switzerland is not a Member State, Swiss people are informed Europeans.
We wanted to discuss the interesting government report on European policy last autumn to recognise that, yes, the Swiss wish at present to pursue their own national interests outside membership, but also perhaps to counter some misconceptions about what might be on offer here. In my view it amounts, as the Commissioner has said, to building on the bilaterals and perhaps a framework agreement that simplifies the administrative load on both sides. However, what some of us would call ‘membership-light’ is not on offer, and that is where the current difficulties over cantonal tax might stem from.
Either you are a member of the European Union or you are not. Switzerland is not, and both sides do well to recall that. Switzerland does not enjoy the benefits of membership, nor is that country subject to all of the obligations. That is the difficulty of such an atypical, variable geometry: it will forever throw up problems and sources of irritation. However, those problems should be solved with goodwill.
Let us take the tax issue head on. If what the Commission really wants from Switzerland – which I suspect to be the case – is to extend the Code of Conduct for Business Taxation, then let us talk about that. Even between Member States it is a voluntary code. I have no doubt that there are offshore taxation arrangements in a Member State I know only too well that would not bear close scrutiny, yet I do not see such activity from the Commission in that direction.
We need a discussion as benefits the relationship between the EU and our nearest geographic neighbour in the heart of Europe, a country providing our second largest export market and an inspiration to us and many in terms of its democratic structures and internationalism. Instead, we tell the Swiss that their cantonal tax systems are ‘predatory’. That is a strong and unpleasant word. If they are indeed predatory, I would expect to see a line of obvious cases of actual harm to Community trade: practical examples that could be cited and demonstrated as having this predatory effect. I have seen none mentioned. Indeed, the Commission relies instead on an argument that it does not have to demonstrate but merely show that the structures could have this effect. However, there are no actual examples and I wonder whether that is because, under examination, they would not stand up against the strained argument that is put forward – an argument against a non-member state, based on an old free trade agreement, designed primarily to deal with the trade in goods.
Let us look at it in another way. Perhaps my voters in Yorkshire might wonder why I spend so much time on Switzerland. However, if my northerly region of England had enjoyed over the years the level of fiscal autonomy vis-à-vis London that Swiss cantons have in their country, maybe we would not have been such a drain on EU Structural Funds.
Switzerland contributes financially to our enlargement process with popular consent. This is a deep and complicated relationship, one that over the years I have found exasperating and frustrating, but never, ever dull! We are often told to be nice to the Swiss before a referendum. We are asked continuously what we will do if they vote ‘no’. The answer is that the choice is always that of the Swiss people, but if they wish to work with us, we have to work with them in a respectful and proper way. The best I would like to see is that one day there are Swiss ministers in the Council, a Swiss Commissioner and Swiss colleagues here with us to debate these issues, not us doing so at second remove."@en1
|
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples