Swiss Review 2/2018

14 Swiss Review / March 2018 / No.2 Politics Then Swiss President Doris Leuthard – pictured here at a news conference with Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission – says that Switzerland is being discriminated against by the EU. Photo: Keystone MARKUS BROTSCHI Over the past ten years, Switzerland has contributed 1.3 bil- lion Swiss francs to development projects in Eastern Eu- rope. This cohesion contribution to harmonise the level of development between EU Member States was first re- quested by the EU over ten years ago as a fee for access to the single market. Switzerland contributed a billion Swiss francs to the ten EU states which became EU members in 2004, primarily Eastern European countries. It subse- quently paid another 260 million for Bulgaria and Roma- nia as well as 40 million for Croatia. Poland has benefited most from the cohesion payments thus far. Almost half a billion Swiss francs has been spent in this Eastern Euro- pean country. Through its payment of 1.3 billion, Switzerland has funded over 200 projects, including border protection in- frastructure, support with establishing the administra- tion of justice, environmental education projects and sewage treatment plants. The recipient states had to co- fund the projects by contributing 15 %. Switzerland monitored the use of the funding through its own local offices. Federal government’s verdict on the use of the money thus far has been positive. However, the European Union now expects Switzerland to make its cohesion con- tribution for the next ten years. The Federal Council pledged the money last November when Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, vis- ited Berne. Fee for access to the single market is due again Switzerland has for the second time promised 1.3 billion Swiss francs to the EU for the development of poorer Member States. However, attempts by Brussels to exert pressure are causing resentment in Berne.