Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The free movement of persons between Switzerland and the European Union (EU) since 2002 has been beneficial for the Confederation and has not taken  away jobs from local residents, concludes a report published by Seco (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs). The report was published Friday, on the eve of a debate in the upper house of Parliament about extending the Schengen agreement.

Some regions have been affected more than others by the treaty, the report notes, in particular border regions such as Geneva where the increase in unskilled labour may have put pressure on the market, slowing down a drop in the unemployment rate.

The federal government report also notes that the cost was virtually half of what was budgeted: CHF240 million instead of CHF424m. Germans and Portuguese head the list of foreign workers, with the number coming from central and eastern Europe lower than predicted.

The parliamentary debate covers extending the treaty for several more years and the issue of whether citizens of Bulgaria and Romania will be allowed to enter Switzerland free of restrictions as do other EU citizens.

• Follow the debate live from your computer
• Background information,TSR, Fre

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