Meeting of the OECD global parliamentary network in Paris

A standing delegation represented the Swiss parliament at a global parliamentary network meeting of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the first time. The session held on 17 to 18 March focused on how best to support and strengthen the economy and society as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Swiss parliament established a standing parliamentary delegation last autumn to participate in OECD activities. The delegation president, Council of States member Ruedi Noser (FDP/ZH), and its vice president, National Council member Prisca Birrer-Heimo (SP/LU), represented the new delegation at the spring meeting of the OECD global parliamentary network in Paris on 17 and 18 March 2022.

The OECD global parliamentary network provides parliamentarians from member states with a platform to exchange views on policy issues relating to the economy, finance, education, science, society, the environment and development. The 2022 spring meeting, Optimising the strength and quality of the recovery, focused on overcoming the current challenges in global trade, health and climate. The political and economic implications of the war in Ukraine were also on the meeting agenda. The participants – 79 parliamentarians from 34 countries – also attended a special session run by the Parliamentary Group on Tax, in which they addressed the OECD/G20 project on taxation in a digital economy. Here Mr Noser provided information on the state of affairs in Switzerland, particularly the challenges in the parliamentary implementation process.

^{Council of States member Ruedi Noser headed the Swiss delegation at the OECD meeting in Paris. © OECD}

^{National Council member Prisca Birrer-Heimo (left) and Council of States member Ruedi Noser (right) with other members of the network. © OECD}

^{MPs from 34 countries attended the parliamentary network meeting. © OECD}

^{The meeting was held on-site again for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, while including the possibility of participating online.}