Immigration Council of States does not want to join the UN migration pact

The Council of States still does not want Switzerland to join the UN migration pact. A majority does not see any concrete advantages of joining, rather the risks outweigh the benefits.

The small chamber followed the majority of its Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The National Council must now deal with the matter.

The UN migration pact sets out measures to regulate migration across borders. This involves the rights of migrants, but also, for example, securing borders and combating smuggling gangs.

The pact does not impose any direct obligations on states. The extent to which such "soft law" can have an indirect effect was particularly controversial.

Basically, it was only a question of whether Switzerland should write a letter to the President of the UN General Assembly and make its position clear. Benedikt Würth (center/SG) made it clear on behalf of the preparatory committee that the pact would not be put on the agenda again at the United Nations. Nevertheless, a fundamental debate ensued.

A minority of the SP and GLP in the committee argued unsuccessfully that Switzerland should declare its support for the guiding principles of the pact. Marco Chiesa (SVP/TI) and Mauro Poggia (MCG/GE) unsuccessfully demanded that Switzerland should reject the pact and its principles outright and vote accordingly in the UN.

SDA