Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-07-06-Speech-3-425"
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"en.20050706.31.3-425"2
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".
Mr President, I very much welcome your House’s endorsement of the conclusion of the agreements on the association of Switzerland with the Schengen and Dublin
The point I particularly want to make with reference to this is that the mixed committees’ sole function is to rule on whether or not the agreements should remain in force in the event of Switzerland failing to discharge its treaty obligations, specifically the transposition of the Schengen or Dublin
into domestic law.
It also has to be said that these mixed committees are entitled to exercise influence to a considerably lesser degree than the mixed committees already in existence, as established through other bilateral agreements with Switzerland.
For these reasons, the Commission regards the legal position as being that neither agreement requires assent.
The Commission therefore sees no reason to amend its proposal for a decision.
Thank you for your attention; I look forward to the debate with interest.
This positive stance is made all the more important by the fact that the political processes required by Switzerland for these agreements to be ratified have now been completed, the most important stage in them having been, without doubt, the referendum held on 5 June.
We, too – and your House not least – should all make good use of this favourable response on the part of the Swiss in order to foster a positive attitude towards the European cause, and this will of course involve the completion of our own procedures with the minimum possible delay.
The agreements were signed on 26 October 2004 in Luxembourg and augur well for the continuing development of relations between the EU and Switzerland.
Swiss association with the Schengen Agreement will bring many practical benefits for EU citizens too, particularly for the many thousands of commuters and travellers, whether for business or other reasons, who are obliged to cross the border on a daily basis, for whom life will be made much easier once the agreement is implemented.
Moreover, the agreements relating to Schengen and Dublin also enhance security by means of cooperation in combating crime and in the exchange of data across borders.
It is for this reason that it is so important that Parliament should endorse the conclusion of the agreements. It is, however, unfortunate that differing views are held on the procedure applicable to this end, by the Commission and the Council on the one hand and by Parliament on the other.
Having once again examined its position, the Commission has come to the conclusion that it ought to be possible to agree on one point, namely that neither agreement is an association agreement within the meaning of the European Communities Treaty, even though the word ‘association’ occurs in their titles.
Apart from that, though, the Commission does take the view that these agreements do not create any kind of specific institutional framework for the cooperation processes. The mere existence of a mixed committee is not sufficient to have that effect."@en1
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