ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the stagnant background of relations with Brussels following the European Union's (EU) rejection of further bilaterals in December 2009. The EU's doubts were one reason why many months of apparent stagnation followed the completion of the bilateral processes. In July 2010, the Swiss President in office, Doris Leuthard had agreed with Brussels to set up a joint committee to produce a report on the way ahead. The Swiss People's Party (SVP) was clearly hoping both to control migration and to reset relations with the EU. Other parties, led by Philipp Mueller of the Radicals, attacked the SVP for putting the bilaterals at risk and for not respecting the feelings of 49.7" of the electorate. The EU will not agree an institutional accord without resolution of the free movement question. And this is unlikely to happen before the UK question is solved, as any concessions to Switzerland now could compromise the British negotiations.
