Ignazio Cassis meets members of Graubünden government and residents of Valposchiavo
Bern, 23.10.2023 - Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, travelled today to Poschiavo, where he met with all the members of the Graubünden cantonal council and local residents. The visit is part of the regular political dialogue established with the cantons of Ticino and Graubünden since his election to the Federal Council. Mr Cassis also signed a declaration of intent with the two cantonal governments on the Piccolo Erasmus project, facilitating mutual secondments between the cantonal administrations and the FDFA.
As part of the regular political dialogue with Switzerland's Italian and Romansh-speaking cantons, Mr Cassis met today with the Graubünden Council of State in Poschiavo. A month ago, he had a similar meeting with the Ticino government in Bellinzona. Today's meeting was also an opportunity to take stock of the work done during this parliamentary term in areas of common interest, such as cross-border relations and the promotion of minority languages. Mr Cassis also met with residents of Valposchiavo, an Italian-speaking enclave in the canton of Graubünden.
Declaration of intent on Piccolo Erasmus project
Mr Cassis signed the declaration of intent on the Piccolo Erasmus project in Poschiavo with Martin Bühler and Christian Vitta, members of the cantonal councils of Graubünden and Ticino. Launched in 2021, Piccolo Erasmus is a secondment programme that allows cantonal administration employees and FDFA employees to temporarily work in each other's organisations. The declaration affirms the three entities' commitment to continue the project. Secondees who have participated in the project to date have praised it for enabling them to gain insights into a different level of Switzerland's federal system and enhance their professional and language skills. Mr Cassis underlined that the project also boosts national unity by fostering closer ties between the Italian and Romansh-speaking regions of Switzerland and Bern.
Cultural and linguistic diversity within the FDFA, in Switzerland and abroad
For the FDFA, as a globally engaged department it is crucial to ensure equitable representation of Switzerland's four language communities and foster intercultural dialogue. The efforts undertaken to strengthen this diversity have already yielded positive results: for example, in the last few years, the proportion of Italian speakers on the payroll at the FDFA has increased and the number of staff taking Italian courses has doubled. The Romansh language is also being promoted, in particular through Romansh Language Week (Emna rumantscha). Jointly initiated in 2020 by the FDFA head, the government of Graubünden and the Lia Rumantscha, the project features a series of events hosted by Swiss representations aimed at raising awareness of the country's cultural realities and showcasing Swiss pluralism abroad.
Mr Cassis went on to reaffirm his engagement within the Federal Council to ensure an equitable representation of Switzerland's national languages in extra-parliamentary commissions and federal government-associated businesses. During Mr Cassis's presidential year in 2022, the Federal Council travelled to Val Monastero to hold a meeting outside the Federal Palace and the annual Ambassadors' Conference was held in Pontresina.
Positive development in cross-border relations
The meeting also addressed relations with Italy, which have seen positive developments in recent years. Key agreements were highlighted, including one on removing Switzerland from the blacklist concerning the taxation of natural persons and another on the taxation of cross-border commuters. Furthermore, during the current legislative term, diplomatic contacts with Italy have been stepped up and more than ten agreements covering a wide range of areas have been signed. Mr Cassis and the Graubünden government also held in-depth discussions on the issue of cross-border transport routes, particularly in view of the Winter Olympic Games 2026 to be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
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