Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Minister for Immigration and Asylum, Jean Asselborn, was in Bern on 13 and 14 April 2016 for a meeting with Federal Council and Head pf the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter.
Discussions focused on bilateral relations, issues in European policy and international affairs. Commonalities between the two countries were similarly highlighted, such as an outward-looking economy, two common national languages and a high proportion of foreigners and cross-border workers. Exchanges enabled the two politicians to assess potential for building on bilateral cooperation in the future, particularly with regards to energy efficiency and vocational training, with collaboration in the field of space policy also addressed. Since Novermber 2012, Luxembourg and Switzerland have jointly assumed the presidency of the European Space Agency (ESA).
Minister Asselborn and Councillor Budkhalter then discussed the economic relations between the two countries they represent, which both hold international financial centres expecting the opening of new forms of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the introduction of the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI) process.
EU policy also figured on the agenda, specifically with regards to Switzerland's relations with the EU as well as recent developments within the EU, including the migration crisis that it currently faces. Topics on the international agenda were also focused on, such as the situation in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism.
At the invitation of the Association suisse de politique étrangère (ASPE), Minister Asselborn travelled to the University of Bern to deliver a speech on the theme 'Kleinstaat national und der Europaïschen Union in Souveränität' before an audience of over 200 people, which was followed by a Q&A session with the audience on the European political agenda.
Photos by MAEE (TOP L-R: Jean Asselborn; Didier Burkhalter)
