Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann receives members of the EBRD constituency

Bern, 24.03.2017 - On 24 March Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann received the governors of the Swiss constituency at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The aim of the meeting was to intensify cooperation and strengthen Switzerland’s seat on the bank’s Board of Directors. In the afternoon the group visited a company to illustrate the themes of dual-track vocational education and training and innovation.

Switzerland is a medium-sized shareholder in the EBRD and is represented on the Board of Directors. The director also represents the interests of Liechtenstein, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Moldavia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The governors, usually the finance or economic affairs ministers of these countries, gathered in Bern this morning. The meeting provided an opportunity for mutual exchanges and served to strengthen the influence of the constituency within the EBRD.

The ministers discussed the role of the EBRD in promoting sustainable economic growth in their respective countries as well as the tasks of the multilateral system and innovation as an important driver of economic growth. André Kudelski, chairman and CEO of the Kudelski Group and chairman of the Innosuisse Board, gave a talk on the latter subject.

In the afternoon Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann accompanied the group on a visit to Glas Trösch in Bützberg. The family-owned business has established its place in the European market over four generations and has achieved this thanks to its innovative approaches, close cooperation with several countries, some of which are in the Swiss constituency, and not least thanks to its well-developed apprenticeship programme.

On the fringes of the event Mr Schneider-Ammann held bilateral meetings with a number of guests including the Moldavian vice prime minister, Octavian Calmîc, during which the two held explorative talks regarding a possible EFTA free trade agreement.


Address for enquiries

Erik Reumann, EAER press spokesperson
Tel: 079 303 81 53, erik.reumann@gs-wbf.admin.ch

Daniel Birchmeier, Head, Multilateral Cooperation, Economic Cooperation and Development SECO
Tel. +41 58 464 08 19, daniel.birchmeier@seco.admin.ch



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Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch

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