The initiative taken by the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) on limiting immigration was approved by the Swiss voters. As a result of the election poll, the free movement of the people has become a major concern, and at the same time all the agreements between European Union and Switzerland seem to be in jeopardy.
The results of the election poll have sent shock waves amongst all open minded people of Switzerland, the foreigners in Switzerland the other Europeans.
50.3% of the voters have supported the initiative of the SVP. The initiative demands implementing limits on migration of the foreigners and to renegotiate with the EU on the ‘agreement of free movement of people’. At present, the government of Switzerland has the difficult task of implementing the new measures of the constitution
Many foreign ministers of EC (European commission) and EU (European Union) member states, have expressed their regrets over the Swiss decision. The European commission has expressed the opinion that introducing the limits on the migration of the people would involve re-examining the formal relationship between the EU and Switzerland
The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schultz has expressed the opinion that all the bilateral agreements with the European Union will remain valid until and unless they are suspended by the Swiss government. Additionally, he has indicated that as of now, the European Union would not terminate the agreement on the free movement of people and any of the other agreements.
However, Schultz stated that it would be highly difficult to limit the free movement of people and lay limits on the free movement of services. He has clearly stated that if the Swiss government is no longer able to comply with the agreement’s conditions, the other bilateral agreements would be at risk.
The Federal Council of Switzerland is now finding other ways to maintain its relationship with the EU on a new basis, as there seems to be no way as how ‘quotas on migration’ and the ‘principle of free movement of people’ could go together.
