EU tells Switzerland: Freedom of movement not negotiable

The European Union (EU) Thursday said it has taken note of the announcement by the Swiss Federal Council yesterday on the vote in Switzerland last Sunday to put quotas on immigration from EU countries. "We took note of the methods they proposed over the next six months over an Action Plan followed by further measures later in the year. That is their decision," Olivier Bailly, a spokesperson for the European Commission, told journalists. "We are open to holding discussions with them. But we have to be absolutely clear, freedom of movement of European citizens is not negotiable," he stressed. EU-Swiss relations are in deep crisis after Sunday's referendum and EU officials have warned of serious consequences on ties with Bern if the Swiss government passes a legislation to curb EU immigration. The Federal Council of Switzerland on Wednesday announced that it took a number of initial decisions with regard to implementing the new constitutional provisions on immigration. The Federal Department of Justice and Police will work with the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs, Education and Research to draw up an implementation plan by the end of June, it said. A draft law will be presented by the end of the year. At the same time the Federal Council said it will hold exploratory talks with the European Union with a view to conducting negotiations on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons and to clarify the situation with regard to other bilateral negotiations already under way.