Switzerland is not a member of the EU (Image: GETTY)
Meanwhile Pieter Cleppe, head of the Open Europe think tank’s Brussels Office, has said indications were the Swiss people would reject the proposals if, like the British with Brexit in 2016, they were consulted in a national referendum. The mountainous country is not a member of the EU, but is surrounded by member states on all sides. Some Brexiteers have suggested Britain should model its future relationship with Brussels on that of Bern.
However, Eurocrats have deemed the traditional bi-lateral accords unacceptable, and in December gave Switzerland a six-month ultimatum, urging it to accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) as well as EU legislation with respect to migration, social security and other key policy areas.
The approach has angered many who have accused European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and colleagues of trying to bully the Swiss and lock them into a subservient relationship with the EU.
Thomas Aeschi, leader of the Swiss People’s Party, was quick to make a comparison with Brexit.
He told the Telegraph: “This is a carbon copy of the UK transition agreement but with the difference that for us it is permanent.
Swiss President Ueli Maurer believes the Swiss would reject the idea in a referendum (Image: GETTY)
“We end up becoming a permanently passive member of the EU without voting rights.
“It would be better to join the EU than accept this.”
Mr Aeschi also pointed out the legal framework for relations between the EU and Switzerland was just 30 pages long, rather than 585-page withdrawal agreement which has been thrashed out (but still not ratified) between London and Brussels.
His concerns centre on clause which will allow the ECJ to legislate in areas ranging from taxation to farming, healthcare to policies within his country’s
