Hans Schaffner

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Hans Schaffner (December 16, 1908 in Interlaken - November 26, 2004) was a Swiss politician.

He was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on June 15, 1961 and handed over office on January 31, 1970. He is affiliated to the Free Democratic Party. After receiving a degree in law, he entered the federal civil service as the head of the Division in charge of wartime economy (1941). In 1954, he became Director of the Trade Division of the Economic Affairs Department. With the president of the Board of Trade Reginald Maudling, he was during a meeting of non EEC countries in the Alabama Room in Geneva, one of the initiators of the European Free-Trade Association (EFTA) in December 1958.

During his time in office he held the Department of Economic Affairs and was President of the Confederation in 1966. During that year, Switzerland beacame a member of GATT. He prepared mesasures in favour of agriculture, a new law about labour relations and measures against inflation. After retirement, he held positions in several Boards of directors (Sandoz, Rieter, Câbleries de Cossonay). He fought for liberal and free-trade values.