President of the Confederation Calmy-Rey visits Poland, which holds the EU presidency

On 1 July 2011 Poland will take over the presidency of the EU from Hungary until the end of this year. Relations between Switzerland and the EU were one of the main topics of the talks between Mrs Calmy-Rey and the Polish President Bronislaw Komorowksi and Vice- President Waldemar Pawlak today. Mrs Calmy-Rey stressed the importance of the bilateral path in Switzerland's  relations with the EU. Switzerland intends to continue along this path.
Bilateral issues and current international affairs were also discussed during the working visit to Warsaw. Mrs Calmy-Rey stressed the close ties of friendship between Switzerland and Poland that have intensified in recent years thanks to numerous visits and contacts at the political, economic and cultural levels.  

Poland is by far the principal recipient country of the Swiss contribution to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the enlarged EU.  Projects in Poland to a total value of  CHF 489 million will be approved by 2012, with most of these funds going to structurally weak regions in the south east of the country. "This support is an impressive sign of solidarity with the EU and at the same time it underlines Switzerland’s activity in favour of political and economic stability in Europe",  Mrs Calmy-Rey said in Warsaw. 

Contact: Lars Knuchel, Head of Information EDA, +41 79 277 55 60

Further information:

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Poland
Poland – A partner country for Switzerland’s contribution to EU enlargement

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