During his official visit to Vienna, Mr de Buman was received by his Austrian counterpart, Wolfgang Sobotka. The trip to Vienna was a return visit following a meeting between the two National Council presidents in June in Bern. In their discussions, the two parliamentary presidents expressed appreciation of the good bilateral relations and emphasised the similarities shared between Austria and Switzerland. The exchange focused on European and migration policy. The Swiss delegation, which included the president and vice president of the Delegation to maintain relations with the Austrian Parliament - National Council member, Walter Müller (FDP, SG), and Council of States member, Alex Kuprecht (SVP, SZ) - explained the current state of the negotiations on an institutional framework agreement with the EU. Several issues remain unresolved and the agreement in its current form is not capable of winning a majority. In particular, any relaxation of the accompanying measures on the free movement of persons and services would meet with resistance. Mr Sobotka replied that the currently applicable 8-day rule would limit the flexibility and planning capability of companies and that a pragmatic solution should be sought.
The meeting with members of the Foreign Policy Committee and the Standing Subcommittee on EU Affairs also focused on European policy. In addition, the two delegations discussed the ratification process for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Austria attaches great importance to nuclear disarmament and was disappointed to note the Swiss government’s decision not to sign the UN treaty banning nuclear weapons.
During the exchange with the Austria-Switzerland parliamentary group, cross-border issues were also discussed. With regard to the concession for the St. Gallen Altenrhein airfield, the Austrian side cited the recently published study of regional business associations which describes the added value of the airfield for the region. The Vorarlberg state government recognises the importance of this matter and will continue political talks with Swiss partners on the further development of the airfield.
The close relations between Austria and Switzerland are characterised by frequent visits at all levels. Relations between the two parliaments were institutionalised in 2005 with the establishment of two standing delegations. The Austria-Switzerland parliamentary group and the Delegation to maintain relations with the Austrian Parliament regularly exchange information on cross-border issues. The next meeting is scheduled for spring 2019.