News
Uncertainties about the future of French-Swiss cross-border workers
April 2016
The 31st Congress of the European Cross-Border Grouping (GTE) brought together over 500 cross-border workers and numerous political representatives of the French-Swiss territory on 11 March 2016 in Archamps. According to Michel Charrat, president of the GTE, “2015 will no doubt go down in the history books of the cross-border phenomenon.
The loss of private insurance and its replacement with mandatory schemes marks a major step in our very specific status! Never, in our history, have we been subject to such negative changes concerning our status as cross-border workers, it is why we must remain mobilised.” Concerning unemployment and the system of fiscal compensation between the two countries, he indicated that it is “imperative to conclude a more equitable bilateral agreement that conforms to the realities on the ground!” Other concerns were raised, such as the threat to temporary employment, taxation at the source, and the vote against “mass immigration” on 9 February 2014.
More info [FR]
Regarding the popular initiative of 9 February 2014, the Swiss government presented its implementation plan in December. The central idea of the initiative is to establish a threshold for the immigration of EU citizens, above which contingencies would be introduced the following year. The negotiations are underway with the European Commission and should lead to a new referendum by the end of the year.
