The Swiss lack motivation for EU accession

Switzerland is under pressure to move closer to the EU, yet most Swiss continue to reject EU membership. The conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung sees their point: "The original six-member Community emerged not least as a peace initiative after World War II. Later Britain hoped to rescue part of its faded role as a world power by entering the Community. Ireland and some of the Southern European states sought to join in a bid to raise prosperity. For the states of Eastern Europe EU membership was part and parcel of putting their communist past behind them. Such motives are lacking in the politically unique and economically successful Switzerland. Moreover, in view of growing national debts Switzerland would be more than ever one of the net contributers to the European Union. The Swiss may be convinced Europeans, nevertheless in the EU they would be primarily reluctant members. ... Forging Switzerland's future relations with the EU - without the option of membership - remains the real task at hand."

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