The Secretary General of the Farnesina, Michele Valensise, summoned the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation, Giancarlo Kessler, today to express Italy’s keen concern over the measures introduced by the cantonal authorities of Ticino and affecting Italian cross-border workers. The measures infringe the European agreement on 1999 on the free movement of people, are clearly discriminatory to Italian citizens and contradict the excellent state of bilateral relations. The Secretary General asked for a swift new commitment by the authorities in Berne to bring an end to a situation that is provoking deep dissatisfaction in Italy.
Ambassador Kessler confirmed that the Swiss federal authorities consider the measures to be incompatible with the obligations arising from the agreement. He assured the Secretary General that he would inform his authorities promptly on the growing importance of the question for Italy and on its expectations for a rapid solution.
