Swiss Cantons Have Potential Issues With Proposed EU Deal: NZZ

Local officials in Switzerland have reservations about a proposed deal with the European Union, in part over an expanded role for the bloc, the president of the conference of cantonal governments, Benedikt Wuerth, told newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung.

The planned modernization of the free-trade agreement between the trading partners could open the door to EU intervention in Swiss affairs, Wuerth said. The cantons also are concerned that state aid -- subsidies, tax reductions, state participation in companies -- will need to be reported to and approved by a monitoring authority, he said.