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- The former ambassador to France, Livia Leu, is in charge of the European dossier.
- Roberto Balzaretti, the former EU chief negotiator, will be the new ambassador in Paris.
The Federal Council decided at its meeting on Wednesday. Leu was introduced at a press conference by Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis. The new appointments in the Federal Department of Foreign Relations (FDFA) had become apparent in recent days.
Balzaretti from Ticino, 55, negotiated the framework agreement with the EU in 2018, which is internally controversial and in its current form is not a majority. Now he is losing his position as the highest and most important Swiss diplomat and his title of Secretary of State.
Leu inherits the ejection seat
Now Leu will take over the European file. Effective immediately, she will head the Directorate for European Affairs (DEA) and thus become the head of negotiation for negotiations with the EU. In addition, she receives the title of Secretary of State.
Livia Leu is the new EU head of negotiations.
SRF
Since the beginning of 2016, Leu has been the fifth top female diplomat responsible for the EU dossier. Before she and Balzaretti, Yves Rossier, Jacques de Watteville and Pascale Baeriswyl bit their teeth without success in the framework agreement.
The new staffing can be seen as a signal to Brussels that the complicated must be pushed forward. The EU categorically rules out renegotiations on the key points of the framework agreement with the EU. From diplomatic circles, however, it can be heard that some points could be clarified with renegotiations.
No news in terms of content
In Switzerland, they are controversial at national level, in particular, the Directive of the citizens of the Union, wage protection and state aid. There are also different views on the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in disputes.
The EU has long been calling for an institutional solution with dispute resolution to ensure uniform legal interpretation and further development in those areas where Switzerland participates in the internal market.
The Federal Council has announced that talks on the framework agreement will resume after the vote on the limitation initiative. In the coming weeks, it will determine Switzerland’s position and start discussions with the EU on how to resolve outstanding issues.
The EDA Secretary of State is reorganized
However, the EU file will not be Leu’s only task. Beginning January 1, 2021, he will also head the FDFA Secretary of State. At this time, the Directorate for European Affairs (DEA) and the Directorate for Political Affairs will be integrated, as the Federal Council decided on Wednesday.
Unlike today, all European countries and institutions will meet under one roof in the newly structured Secretary of State. In addition, the six geographic departments will be combined. In addition to “Europe”, these are the departments of “Eurasia”, “Americas”, “Asia”, “Africa” and “Middle and Near East”. A new thematic department “Digitization” is being created.
With the reorganization, you are creating the structural and staffing requirements to optimally implement the 2020-2023 foreign policy strategy and the next phase of negotiations with the EU, the Federal Council writes.
