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GENEVA – Swiss incoming President Guy Parmelin said on Sunday that the post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the European Union was “good news for the whole world.”
Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU but has a relationship that guarantees market access, is also in its own complicated negotiations with the bloc that is eager to create a global deal for the patchwork of deals.
READ: Britain and the EU publish full text of post-Brexit trade deal
In the Swiss government’s first comments on the post-Brexit deal, Economy Minister Parmelin, who takes over the annual rotating presidency on Friday, said the deal was also good news for Switzerland.
“It is good news for everyone that an agreement has been reached. For Switzerland as well,” he told the Sonntags Zeitung newspaper.
London and the EU reached a trade deal on Thursday after 10 months of intense negotiations that allowed them to soften the economic impact of Brexit.
When Britain leaves the EU single market in the New Year, it will now face no tariffs on inter-channel trade.
Parmelin did not comment on what the deal might mean for Switzerland’s own framework agreement negotiations with the EU.
“Now we are waiting for the text and we will analyze the whole situation,” he said.
READ: French fishermen express relief at Brexit deal
Experts believe that the Swiss government is now under heavy pressure to negotiate a better deal with Brussels, SZ reported.
After rejecting EU membership in 1992, the Swiss voted in 2000 in favor of a series of bilateral agreements with the bloc.
Brussels has made no secret of its growing impatience to finalize a “framework agreement” to bring together various bilateral agreements related to access to the single market and to perfect applicable EU and Swiss laws.
Since 2008, the EU has insisted that Switzerland must sign a framework agreement before concluding any new bilateral agreements with the bloc.
Parmelin had to go into self-quarantine before Christmas after visiting London to sign an agreement guaranteeing reciprocal and facilitated market access for Swiss and British service providers from January.
Parmelin takes over as president from Simonetta Sommaruga on Friday.
