The programme included a meeting on cross-border transport projects and the future of Europe’s energy supply. Meetings were also held with State Secretary Jacques de Watteville on the state of negotiations between Switzerland and the EU, and with State Secretary Mario Gattiker on the refugee and asylum situation in both countries.

​The first stop on the trip was St. Gallen, where the government of the canton of St. Gallen officially received the Austrian guests and the Del-A. Discussions were held with representatives of the cantonal administration of St. Gallen on current road and rail transport projects and on the legal status of the St. Gallen-Altenrhein airport.

The two official delegations, who are in charge of maintaining parliamentary relations between the countries, also exchanged views on the current developments in the energy sector in Europe and on cross-border electricity transport. The Federal Office of Energy brought both delegations up to date on the planned electricity agreement between Switzerland and the EU.

On the following day, the two delegations met with State Secretary Mario Gattiker to discuss the refugee and asylum situation in both countries, border management and the further development of Schengen/Dublin. Mr Gattiker spoke about the present migration situation in Switzerland’s border region and about the implementation of the revised Asylum Act, which was approved by the Swiss electorate last year. Members of both delegations agreed that they faced similar challenges and that a joint European solution was needed.

Another meeting was held with State Secretary Jacques de Watteville, Switzerland’s chief negotiator with the European Union, who emphasised the excellent relations between the two countries, and outlined the latest developments in the relationship between Switzerland and the EU. According to Mr de Watteville, progress has been made on some important issues between Switzerland and the EU in the last few days, and practical solutions would be sought for other dossiers.

At the end of the two day programme, both delegations agreed that these regular bilateral meetings at parliamentary level were important in furthering relations between the two parliaments, and in learning more about how current challenged are addressed in both countries.

The Delegation to maintain relations with the Austrian Parliament was led by member of the National Council, Walter Müller (FDP, SG). The meeting was also attended by National Council members Thomas Ammann (CVP, SG), Adrian Amstutz (SVP, BE), Thomas Müller (SVP, SG) and Lukas Reimann (SVP, SG), and Council of States members Pascale Bruderer Wyss (SP, AG), Claudia Friedl (SP, SG), Brigitte Häberli-Koller (CVP, TG) and Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP, SG).

The Austria-Switzerland parliamentary group was represented by the chairman of the group and member of the Federal Council for the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), Magnus Brunner, and by the following members of the Austrian Parliament: Gerald Klug (SPÖ), Peter Oberlehner (ÖVP), Bernhard Themessl (FPÖ), Wolfgang Zinggl (Grüne), Gerald Loacker (NEOS) and Christoph Hagen (Team Stronach).