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EU, Switzerland edge towards free movement accord: sources

16 April 2014, 18:36 CET
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(BRUSSELS) - The European Union and Switzerland are close to reolving a spat over Swiss immigration curbs although Britain has asked for more time to consider the proposals, EU sources said Wednesday.

EU ties with non-member Switzerland have been strained since a Swiss referendum in February when the country voted by a razor-thin margin to establish immigration quotas -- jeopardising a range of agreements with the EU based on a commitment to free movement of people.

Talks to try to resolve the row have been taking place since at expert level and the Swiss had appeared hopeful of a breakthrough on Tuesday.

"Britain asked for more time so ministers could look at the text being negotiated," a British diplomat told AFP.

But "work is ongoing", said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

At stake is a general mandate for the European Commission to negotiate an umbrella agreement between the European Union and Switzerland which was suspended after the controversial referendum.

The EU also suspended Swiss participation in EU research and education programmes after Switzerland called off a deal opening labour market access to Croatia.

Under discussion is both the general EU mandate and a Swiss promise of honouring the rights of EU citizens currently working in the country under a special protocol.

A next round of talks is expected April 29.

Switzerland informed the EU after the February vote about difficulties with the signature and conclusion of a protocol extending an EU-Swiss agreement on the free movement of persons -- currently applicable to 27 member states -- to newest member Croatia, which joined in 2013.


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