Federal Council defines Switzerland's priorities for G20 participation

Bern, 20.12.2019 - During its meeting on 20 December 2019, the Federal Council defined Switzerland's priorities for its participation in the G20. Switzerland was invited by the Saudi Arabian G20 presidency as a guest country to all activities of the group of twenty most important advanced and emerging market economies.

Switzerland will participate for the fifth time in succession in the Financial Track, which is central to the G20, and for the first time in the G20 summit of heads of state and government, as well as in all ministerial meetings and working groups of the Sherpa Track.

The Finance Track is the original cornerstone of the G20 and focuses on financial and monetary policy issues. The Federal Council has defined three priorities for this: taxing the digital economy, sustainable and innovative infrastructure investment and financial market regulation in view of digitalisation and climate risks.

The Sherpa Track covers the other topics planned for the summit. The Federal Council prioritises the following areas: trade, investment and environment; climate change, technology, research and innovation; employment and education; health; tourism.

The G20 meetings offer valuable opportunities for Switzerland to represent its interests and for valuable political contacts at ministerial and administrative level. In the bilateral framework, these can only be achieved with great effort. The Swiss G20 activities are coordinated by the interdepartmental working group IDAG20, which has existed since 2009 and in which all federal departments are represented as part of the 2020 G20 summit process.

Address for enquiries

André Simonazzi, Federal Council Spokesperson
Tel. +41 58 462 37 03, andre.simonazzi@bk.admin.ch

Peter Minder, FDF Communications (Finance Track)
Tel. +41 58 462 63 01, peter.minder@gs-efd.admin.ch

Urs Wiedmer, EAER Communications (Sherpa Track)
Tel. +41 58 464 50 82, urs.wiedmer@gs-wbf.admin.ch

Publisher

The Federal Council
https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html

Federal Chancellery
https://www.bk.admin.ch/bk/en/home.html

Secretariat-General FDF
http://www.efd.admin.ch

Federal Department of Finance
https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html

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