State Secretary and Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Helene Budliger Artieda, and the Slovak State Secretary of the Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Digitalisation, Barbora Lukáčová, signed the last remaining bilateral cohesion agreement of the second Swiss contribution in Bratislava. The necessary basis now exists with all 13 EU partner states to develop the agreed programmes in detail and implement them by the end of 2029.

The second Swiss contribution is an investment in security, stability and prosperity in Europe. It aims to strengthen cohesion, reduce economic and social disparities and support countries under migratory pressure. The programmes are implemented by SECO, the SDC and SEM. Through this second contribution, Switzerland can enhance bilateral relations not only with the individual partner countries, but with the EU as a whole.

With approximately 20 nature parks, Switzerland has extensive experience and expertise to share regarding sustainable tourism in and around national parks and protected areas. This knowledge has been attracting interest in central and eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Estonia aim to promote sustainable tourism, better manage their national and regional parks and protect biodiversity with support from the second Swiss contribution towards European cohesion.

SECO and the Swiss National Park organised a study trip to Zernez, Bern and Birmensdorf, where leading representatives from administration, science, environmental protection and business presented the latest Swiss findings and research results. They used practical examples to illustrate Swiss parks' activities and management practices, and showed ways to strike a balance between tourism and nature conservation – and where these strategies reach their limits.

Laying the foundations for Swiss partnerships

As part of Switzerland's contribution, the country is making its expertise available to support partner states in conceptualising and implementing their own programmes. While on the study trip to Switzerland, the visiting delegations were able to network with Swiss experts and lay the foundations for further discussions and longer-term partnerships. Learning from colleagues was an important pillar of the study week, as was direct exchange between the delegations. These included officials from environmental ministries, heads of national parks and other specialists.