Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer at G20 finance minister meeting in Baden-Baden

Bern, 17.03.2017 - Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer will take part in the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors under the German G20 presidency in Baden-Baden on 17 and 18 March 2017. Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan will accompany him. The topics to be discussed at the meeting include in particular the global economic situation, fiscal and monetary policy, budgetary policy, structural reforms, the free movement of capital, and tax and financial market regulation agendas. The Head of the Federal Department of Finance will also conduct bilateral talks on the fringes of the meeting.

Important topics at the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors under the German presidency are global growth and the resilience of economies to crises. Switzerland is committed to open markets – particularly in terms of capital flows – and is against protectionism in the financial sphere. Switzerland welcomes the agenda for more resilient economies and in the process reiterates the importance of balanced budgets. In terms of tax policy, Switzerland is of the view that the tax debate should be conducted with more emphasis on the growth perspective. Switzerland is determined to meet the international obligations in terms of tax policy and has been working hard on a swift new proposal entitled tax proposal 17 following the rejection of the third series of corporate tax reforms. In the area of financial market regulation, Switzerland is in favour of implementing the agreed central standards. However, no further standards should be created on detailed issues.

Switzerland is actively working to improve correspondent banking relationships. The objective under Germany's G20 presidency is also to create solid requirements for remittances and improve the dialogue between the players involved. As part of Switzerland's commitment to the financial sector, it will also organise a meeting of the G20 Green Finance Study Group in Basel.

At the invitation of Germany, which assumed the G20 presidency on 1 December 2016, Switzerland will take part in the meetings of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, as well as the deputies' preparatory meetings and the working groups dealing with financial and monetary issues in 2017. The other meetings at ministerial level will take place at the IMF meetings in Washington in April and October.

Switzerland's participation in the G20 Finance Track highlights its good relations with Germany as well as its significance in the international economic and monetary system. Switzerland is actively involved in the discussions both at the technical and ministerial levels.

Address for enquiries

Peter Minder, Head of FDF Communications
Tel. 079 437 73 61, peter.minder@gs-efd.admin.ch