04.12.2015

The Federal Council today discussed how immigration can be managed so as to comply with constitutional requirements. It made a number of preliminary decisions, taking account of the results of consultations on the draft of new legislation on foreign nationals: the Federal Council is looking to apply a safeguard clause in order to control the immigration of persons covered by the Agreement on the free movement of persons with the European Union (EU). To do so, it will seek a mutually acceptable solution with the EU. In the event that it is unable to reach agreement with the EU in time, the Federal Council has, in a parallel move, instructed the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to draft a dispatch on a unilateral safeguard clause. This dispatch should be ready by the beginning of March 2016. The Federal Council will consider measures to enhance the potential of the domestic workforce and tackle labour market abuses at its meeting on 18 December.