Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-26-Speech-4-017"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070426.4.4-017"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, when Swiss citizens rejected entry to the European Economic Area back in 1992, no one would have been able to imagine today’s emerging developments. On the one hand, both the EU and Switzerland are benefiting from cooperation and bilateral agreements, for instance, in connection with security and asylum. On the other, we have relentless negotiations, demands and even blackmailing, for example, in connection with the extended freedom of movement of persons and the taxation of savings income, or currently in connection with company taxation as regards which, it is the intention to use derogations relating to rail transit, which are so important as far as Switzerland is concerned, as a means of exerting pressure.
When Switzerland tightened its Asylum Act many years ago, the European Union did not hold back with its criticism. This was designed to clamp down on the 75% of applications for asylum which were incorrectly submitted every year, which is actually what happened. This about-turn by Switzerland, which has traditionally been so welcoming to visitors, forced those persons within our Union who dream of multiculturalism to reconsider, and the Union actually had to make an example of this Swiss Asylum Act.
Now is the time for us to seek solutions together to common problems which we face in the tax sector, as well as with regard to migration and integration. Above all, we should use Switzerland as an example in terms of direct democracy, for only if EU citizens are once again under the impression that their intentions are being taken seriously, that they can have their say in matters, might we then be able to extricate ourselves from the crisis currently facing the EU.
The disputes surrounding the EU Constitution and additional EU enlargement offer adequate opportunity to use Switzerland as an example."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples