The president of the National Council, Dominique de Buman (CVP, FR), will be received in Berlin on 8 October by the president of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU). They will discuss EU policy matters, migration policy and bilateral relations between Germany and Switzerland. Also on the programme for this brief visit to Berlin are talks with members of the German-Swiss Friendship Group and the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union. Mr de Buman will be accompanied by the president and vice president of the Delegation for Relations with the German Bundestag, Council of States member Joachim Eder (FDP, ZG) and National Council member Thomas Hardegger (SP, ZH).
Bilateral relations between Germany and Switzerland are based on a solid body of over 200 agreements. Regular visits at governmental, administration and parliamentary levels are a further sign of the closely interwoven economic, cultural and social ties between Switzerland and its northern neighbour. Relations between the two parliaments were institutionalised in 2005, when two permanent delegations were established. The German-Swiss Friendship Group and the Delegation for Relations with the German Bundestag are devoted to furthering relations between the two neighbouring countries and arrange regular exchanges.