Council of States President Alex Kuprecht, who chairs the Delegation for Relations with the Austrian Parliament (Del-A), invited members to Brunnen on Lake Lucerne for the Swiss–Austrian meeting of parliamentarians.
Switzerland and Austria have signed a memorandum of understanding on their new strategic partnership; discussion of this agreement will form the heart of the two-day meeting, alongside current topics relating to European politics and the countries’ bilateral ties. The representatives of the two parliaments will also visit Swiss knife manufacturer Victorinox’s production site, the Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation and the monument commemorating the Battle of Morgarten. Their visit will conclude with an excursion to Einsiedeln to meet with government representatives from the canton of Schwyz.
Norbert Sieber (ÖVP, Vorarlberg), Member of the National Council of Austria, will lead the Austrian parliamentary delegation. The delegation consists of Austrian National Council members Josef Smolle (ÖVP, Steiermark), Reinhold Einwaller (SPÖ, Vorarlberg), Reinhard Eugen Bösch (FPÖ, Vorarlberg), Jakob Schwarz (Green Party, Steiermark) and Gerald Loacker (NEOS, Vorarlberg). The Del-A is represented by Council of States President Alex Kuprecht (SVP, SZ), together with National Councillors Claudia Friedl (SP, SG), Regula Rytz (Green Party, BE), Martin Haab (SVP, ZH), Nicolo Paganini (The Centre, SG) and Lukas Reimann (SVP, SG), as well as Council of States member Brigitte Häberli-Koller (The Centre, TG).