Liechtenstein is talked about in Switzerland for its 15% American customs duties, against 39% for the Confederation. Usually, the two countries are treated in the same brand, especially due to a charitable Switzerland towards his rich little neighbor.
The principality has long been under the wing of Austria, before turning to Switzerland, its other neighbor, after the First World War.
The link between the two countries is due to the size of the Principality, which has 40,000 inhabitants, about the city of Friborg. The country is too small to assume all the tasks of a state.
Switzerland therefore offers its support for Liechtenstein in many areas. Thus, the Confederation protects the border with Liechtenstein, it represents the principality in most diplomatic relations and Liechtenstein can use the Swiss franc.
OPAQUE expenses
However, it is impossible to say how much the micro-state pays for these services. No one has an overview, neither in Switzerland nor at Liechtenstein. Not even the head of the government of the principality interviewed on this subject during her official visit to Bern last Monday.
>> Review the subject of 7:30 p.m.:
To try to quantify what the principality pays, the RTS questioned dozens of federal offices, to finally note that the allowances do not reach millions.
The biggest amount observed is 120,000 francs per year on average for the use of the youth+sport data bank.
A dozen thousands of francs are also charged each year for health, innovation, road traffic or fingerprints.
Liechtenstein is also committed to paying the expenses concerning him for customs. But in Switzerland, the Federal Customs Office is unable to say how much the sum is, a sign that the links between the two countries are anchored in habits.
Lots of free services
Liechtenstein should not pay anything to Switzerland for the management of its currency and the surveillance of its borders. Switzerland even goes so far as to wage and house customs officials and also pays the loads of border posts.
In distress situations, the emergency services are not rebuilt.
On the diplomatic level, Switzerland also represents Liechtenstein free of charge in international conferences. The principality is based on many Swiss embassies, without participating in the operating costs. It is only if a national or a liechtenstein official uses consular services that an invoice is established.
Does the Confederation lose money by supporting Liechtenstein?
An elected UDC had asked the question in 2010. The Federal Council had provided no figures, but said it was “convinced that mutual services are on the whole equivalent and that the close cooperation with Liechtenstein is in the well understood interest of Switzerland.”
Thus, for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Swiss generosity is explained in two main ways. First, the two countries benefit from their very close proximity, with more than 30% of Liechtenstein employees who live in Switzerland. The Confederation also considers Liechtenstein as an ally, he who often defends the same positions as Switzerland in international organizations.
Romain Carrupt/lan