Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-04-Speech-4-051"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2000-05-04"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Vote2
dcterms:Language	"fr"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20000504.5.4-051"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2000-05-04-Speech-4-0522
lpv:speaker	lp:Gérard Caudron2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Delegation to the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-06--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Parti socialiste (1999-07-20--2002-07-09)3 member; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Cyprus Joint Parliamentary Committee (1999-10-08--2002-01-14)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member_of_the_bureau; PES (1999-07-20--2002-01-16)3
lpv:translated text	"The report under discussion today concerns relations between Switzerland and the European Union. Let us remember that Switzerland participated in the negotiations that led to the signing of the agreement on the European Economic Area. In a referendum held in 1992, however, the people of Switzerland voted against this agreement, thus making it impossible for Switzerland to participate in the agreement on the EEA and with the result that Switzerland’s application for European Union membership, submitted in May 1992, was put on hold. It was therefore necessary to find some means of maintaining links between Switzerland and the EU. This led to the signing of bilateral agreements. Since 1993, Switzerland has submitted a series of requests to participate in the internal market in specific sectors. Following these requests, negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union resulted in a package of sectoral agreements. This ‘package’ is made up of seven agreements on road and air transport, the free movement of persons, public procurement, research and development, mutual recognition in relation to conformity assessment, and agriculture. In order to anticipate a situation in which any one of these agreements could be cancelled by referendum after the conclusion of the negotiations, the European Union decided to link these agreements together by including a standard clause in each of them to the effect that the agreements could only come into effect simultaneously and could only be applied in full. This represented a minimum guarantee of coherence. The procedure has undergone some delays in the Council due, in particular, to differences of opinion regarding the free movement of persons. In April 2000, under pressure from the European Parliament, the Council presented the single, consolidated legislative instrument to approve the seven agreements between the Community and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Swiss Confederation, on the other. This proposal for a decision combines the seven proposals, previously submitted by the Commission in a single legal instrument, with some amendments. Shortly thereafter, the Council referred the matter to the European Parliament. Only then did we have an opportunity to state our views and to decide whether or not we were going to give our assent to this package of agreements. As it happens, our rapporteur is urging us to do so, and I shall follow his lead. This is all the more important since a referendum on the agreement on the free movement of persons is due to be held in Switzerland on 21 May. We must send out a positive political message by giving our assent. I should, however, like to add a few minor points. Switzerland must indeed clarify its position in relation to the European Union. It must not be allowed to carry on picking and choosing the European policies it wishes to implement."@en1

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