Avalanche!!!!!!

[NotAllThere]

Just as many immigrants as in the UK...

Proportionally far more asylum seekers/refugees - despite the rather draconian benefit system.

[BlasterBates]

Strange we have an office over there and many colleagues say the way of life over there is pretty good if expensive.

Just as many immigrants as in the UK, no passport checks at the border , housing phenomenally expensive as is absolutely everything except electrical goods and petrol.

I spent 8 years in Switzerland, would say things are better economically in Germany, a lot more opportunities.

Switzerland is definitely in the doldrums, which is principally why I left.

[vetran]

Slower than the rest of Europe really is tulipe.

Strange we have an office over there and many colleagues say the way of life over there is pretty good if expensive.

[NotAllThere]

Referendums concerning EU issues tends to be decided by a very narrow margin. Sometimes the EU-oriented Swiss win, sometimes they don't. Schaffhausen (where my daughter-in-law comes from) is a very conservative rural area, and tends to be against EU related initiatives, so it's not surprising they found someone from there who's anti-EU. In any case, the general feeling among the Swiss, is that with the bilateral treaties so far negotiated, there's not much need for actual membership.

While Swiss economic growth is not as rapid as other European countries, it is nonetheless a very stable and secure economy, and stinking rich. I remember looking up the Swiss budget deficit and finding out there wasn't one. (There is a small one now).

[GB9]

Not a plague of locusts, just slower GDP growth than most European countries.

Switzerland GDP Growth Rate | 1980-2016 | Data | Chart | Calendar

They're virtually in a perpetual recession.

For comparison:

Euro Area GDP Growth Rate | 1995-2016 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast

They do have bilateral agreements with the EU and they're in Schengen, so even with their restricted access which excludes financial services 500 million people have the right to go and live there.

Slower than the rest of Europe really is tulipe.

[BlasterBates]

Not a plague of locusts, just slower GDP growth than most European countries.

Switzerland GDP Growth Rate | 1980-2016 | Data | Chart | Calendar

They're virtually in a perpetual recession.

For comparison:

Euro Area GDP Growth Rate | 1995-2016 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast

They do have bilateral agreements with the EU and they're in Schengen, so even with their restricted access which excludes financial services 500 million people have the right to go and live there.

[vetran]

Nach 24 Jahren: Schweiz zieht EU-Beitrittsgesuch zurück - NZZ Schweiz: Aktuelle Themen

According to the National Council and the Council of States has decided to withdraw its application for accession from 1992: A historic decision without consequences.

Thomas Minder (Schaffhausen, independent) wanted to "finish the topic short and painless", as only wanted to join today just "a few lunatics" of the EU. It was necessary, "to make a clean sweep," said Damian Mueller (Luzern, fdp.).

Looks like they have met some of the CUK remaniacs.


I look forward to a plague of locusts in Switzerland....