Wallis - Bern office will open a new and hopefully improved chapter in the relationship between the EU and Switzerland (Diana Wallis MEP)

Diana Wallis MEP <info@dianawallismep.org.uk>

Wallis - Bern office will open a new and hopefully improved chapter in the relationship between the EU and Switzerland

April 3, 2007 4:32 PM

Bern office opening Commenting on the opening of the European Commission's office in Bern today Tuesday 3rd April, Diana Wallis MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament and President of the EP's Switzerland delegation, said:

"I am delighted that the European Commission is to finally open an office in Bern today. That it has taken so long is something of a surprise given that Switzerland is the EU's second trading partner after the US and before China. In fact the Commission had opened offices in Havana and Auckland long before getting around to opening one in the Swiss capital. Pressure from the European Parliament and others, such as the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, has finally paid off however.

"This should open a new and hopefully improved chapter in the relationship between the EU and Switzerland. Over the years this rapport has become strained. For example, in February when the European Commission accused Switzerland of offering unfair company-tax advantages that it said amounted to illegal state aid, in order to lure multinationals away from the EU. This is something the Swiss flatly denied but it is a recent example of a long list of quarrels and wrangles which were exacerbated by the lack of dialogue at a local level. In fact for a long time it seemed the Commission much preferred to shout at the Swiss via a figurative megaphone from Brussels. With the opening of the office hopefully this will be a thing of the past."