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Andreas K\u00fcnne: ‘Without free movement you would work longer, retire late’ <\/p>\n
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Without free movement with the European Union, the Swiss would be forced to work longer every day and would retire later, says Andreas K\u00fcnne, the new EU ambassador in Bern.\n<\/p>\n
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September 19, 2025 – 13:20\n<\/p>\n
+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n In his first interview since presenting his credentials to Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter on Thursday, the career diplomat told the Aargauer Zeitung he has often been to Switzerland, especially to Zurich, Geneva, and Lucerne, but does not know the country well enough.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course I would like to visit as many cantons as possible. However, there are rules for official visits: I can only officially visit four cantons a year. And as a good European I stick to the rules. Other trips to all regions of Switzerland, however, are possible at any time and are also planned,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was told, of course, that some things are different in Switzerland than in other countries and that I should pay special attention to this,\u201d the 59-year-old added. \u201cIn principle we start from the same values. Switzerland is a Western country with which we share democratic and liberal values. What is special about Switzerland is certainly its direct democracy and its federal system. However, the European Union is also a federal entity. And my two home countries, Germany and Austria, also have strong federal elements,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI have great respect for the stability and reliability with which Switzerland has developed,\u201d he emphasised. \u201cDirect democracy is an integral part of the Swiss federal constitution. This naturally leads to controversial debates, which are a fundamental element of all democracies. I am curious to see this closely.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Great respect for direct democracy\u2019<\/p>\n In the near future, the Swiss people will vote on new agreements with the EU. \u201cAs ambassador, I never meddle in voting campaigns,\u201d the diplomat assured. \u201cIf I am asked, I will of course provide objective information and talk to the parties concerned. But when it comes to the pros and cons of the referendum campaign, the responsibility lies with the political forces in Switzerland.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have great respect for direct democracy. That is why, in the new agreements, we have granted Switzerland something absolutely extraordinary, which not even the member states of the European Economic Area have: Switzerland has the possibility of rejecting a new EU internal market rule. In addition, the Confederation can participate in the drafting of new EU legislation that affects it: it thus sits at the negotiating table, even though it is not a member.\u201d<\/p>\n + Switzerland and the EU sign declaration on transitional arrangements<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n However, the paper pointed out, if the people were to reject a new provision, it would risk sanctions from the EU. \u201cSuch a vote is preceded by a long process. If the Swiss people were to reject a new provision anyway, it would be logical for compensatory measures to be taken. It is a bit like in sport: if one team gets an exception to the rules, the other team needs some sort of compensation. This is not a restriction, but an expansion of freedom of choice. The alternative would be that the first team cannot participate in the match.\u201d<\/p>\n The central point of the new arrangements will once again be the possibility for European workers to settle in Switzerland. \u201cThanks to the free movement of persons, EU citizens come here because Swiss companies need labour,\u201d the former ambassador to the Czech Republic (2021-2025) points out. \u201cIn this sense, immigration is an engine of Swiss prosperity.\u201d<\/p>\n + Immigration clause: will the Swiss Abroad become EU hostages?\u202f\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAlternatives to the free movement of persons would probably be an increase in weekly working hours and the retirement age, or a growth in investments of Swiss companies abroad,\u201d he said. \u201cOn top of that there is illegal immigration from abroad. This is a problem we also have in the EU, and I believe it is a problem we can only solve together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSwitzerland is a natural partner and political ally in Europe: I am not saying this as a representative of the EU, but as a European,\u201d he added. \u201cWe have common interests, be it world trade, climate protection or the security and stability of Europe. And it is in our common interest to work together in a rule-based global system.\u201d<\/p>\n Translated from Italian by DeepL\/ts<\/p>\n How we work\u00a0 <\/p>\n We select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools to translate them into English. A journalist then reviews the translation for clarity and accuracy before publication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. The news stories we select have been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team from news agencies such as Bloomberg or Keystone.<\/p>\n If you have any questions about how we work, write to us at english@swissinfo.ch<\/a><\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Pink October: Geneva hospitals to raise awareness of breast cancer <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Sep 19, 2025 <\/p>\n To mark Pink October, Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and its partners are mobilising to inform and raise awareness of breast cancer. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Pink October: Geneva hospitals to raise awareness of breast cancer More <\/p>\n Disease in France hits Swiss cattle drives <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Sep 19, 2025 <\/p>\n Alpine cattle drives have had to be cancelled in many places in cantons Valais and Vaud this year due to the outbreak of lumpy-skin disease in France. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Disease in France hits Swiss cattle drives More <\/p>\n Young Swiss must learn second national language, says government <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Sep 19, 2025 <\/p>\n Switzerland\u2019s 26 cantons could be obliged to continue teaching a second national language at primary level. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Young Swiss must learn second national language, says government More <\/p>\n Baby hippo born at Basel Zoo <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Sep 19, 2025 <\/p>\n Hippopotamus Helvetia gave birth at Basel Zoo on Tuesday. 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