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Article: EU/SWITZERLAND: SWISS VOTERS SAY YES TO WORKERS FROM NEW MEMBER STATES.(European Union)
- Article from:
- Europe-East
- Article date:
- October 8, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Europolitics. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Protocol to extend the 1999 agreement to the new ten member states was signed on October 26, 2004 along with eight other agreements. It will give the EU-10 gradual access to the Swiss labour market, with the Swiss allowed to retain quotas on work permits and to give priority to workers already in Switzerland until May 2011. After this date, there would be full access in principle but there is a safeguard clause valid until mid-2014 allowing Berne to re-impose restrictions if there is a dramatic rise in immigration. No quotas apply to Maltese and Cypriot nationals as Switzerland is not expecting a big influx from these countries. Switzerland is due to abolish its quotas ...