“So really, I think we've tried to take into account the declaration on article eight of the treaty on the European Union to take into account the need to take into account the specificities of these small sized countries. We also take into account the need to protect the internal market for financial services. And we have a specific framework protocol that will devise a structure to ensure that consumers are protected, and also that the internal market has a broader, uh, it's a broader sense is protected. So we're very much hopeful that we will be able, one year after having presented a proposal to the council to wrap up the procedure in the council and to sign this agreement. In this day and age, this is particularly important. Uh, Andorra and San Marino have been very close and also have aligned on foreign policy to the union's, uh, policies. And it's also important that we send a signal that we are ready to take this step. So thank you very much for your support in advance and looking forward to. Continuing the discussion here in Parliament.”
EU Single Market harmonisation · EU-Switzerland relations
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I absolutely agree with your assessment of the countries under our relations. I think here the countries, the agreement we are here to to present is, I think it's been explained, one of the most comprehensive, if not the most comprehensive agreement that the European Union has negotiated with any third country. Because what it is, it is the e agreement with a customs union and also a governance structure that is particularly solid. And this will allow the participation of all the two associated states to the entire internal market, all four freedoms, and also their participation, all accompanying policies. Why is this important? Because it brings together countries that are particularly close. Actually, they're integrated within the union geographically, but also culturally and economically. And it will also allow the Union to preserve the integrity of the internal market through these governance structures, through the dynamic alignment and a particular role of the Court of Justice when it comes to the enforcement and interpretation of the agreement. We've taken particular care also to look at the specificities of these countries. This is the case why we have devised some adaptations in the area of right of establishment, given the limited geographical scope of these countries, but also take into account the fact that all the the EU acquis might not be relevant at first for these two countries, and where there is no activity in this, in this case, they would not have to integrate the acquis.”