Switzerland Withdraws Application to Join European Union*

By Carol Adl

The Swiss parliament has voted to officially withdraw its 1992 application to join the European Union

The country’s National Council backed a symbolic motion to retract the country’s 24-year-old bid to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC).

The vote, on Wednesday, comes a week before Britain’s referendum when they decide on whether to leave or remain in the E.U.

RT reports:

Twenty-seven members of the upper house, the Council of States, voted to cancel Switzerland’s longstanding E.U. application, versus just 13 senators against. Two abstained.

In the aftermath of the vote, Switzerland will give formal notice to the E.U. to consider its application withdrawn, the country’s foreign minister, Didier Burkhalter, was quoted as saying by Neue Zürcher Zeitung.

The original motion was introduced by the conservative Swiss People’s Party MP, Lukas Reimann. It had already received overwhelming…