I am glad you mentioned free trade and free movement of people separately, they do not have to be tied together and as I have previously commented, free trade can exist between the EU and any other country without the need for free movement of people. I wonder if the powers that be within the EU can see how ridiculous it would be to withdraw free trade rights from Switzerland while allowing them far further afield. Just google EU free trade to see examples of non EU countries enjoying free trade .
In my line of work (shipping - ship shaped, not packages) there are a lot of international business' in Switzerland who rely on an international workforce for certain skill-sets. Lets face it, Switzerland isnt known for its shipping experience so banks, physical commodity trading houses and agri-businesses have had to relocate heavily from the rest of Europe and further afield to have skilled shipping teams. Its been an issue getting visa's for the last 4 years with restrictions being clamped harder and harder down. The exchange rate of the Swiss Franc to the rest of the European currencies has also suffered (it was 2.5 CHF to the pound about 5 years ago, its now 1.5) the costs are getting prohibitive....especially in Geneva where there's a shortage of accommodation (and excitement). A lot of companies have already either outsourced work to Eastern Europe or the Sub-Continent or established their own offices where the costs are vastly reduced. I read the article with interest as I suspect its going to mean businesses and skills relocating from Switzerland
You're so not wrong. Accommodation is a nightmare in the Geneva area - there just isn't anywhere to live, or anywhere affordable at any rate. If you are going to attract increasing amounts of business, with more and more people, you have to build more houses and turn over green fields for accommodation. Then you have to sort out bursting railways and standstill motorways. Just importing more and more people and thinking that's all you have to do is completely mistaken. For the excitement, try Lausanne. That's where people from Geneva tend to go. Geneva is pretty dull. I blame all the diplomatic apparatchiks, bankers and tedious business people which the city is full of.
