On 24 November 2022, Parliamentary State Secretary Annette Kramme welcomed Austria's Federal Council's President Korinna Schumann, Vice-President Günther Novak, and several of its members to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for an exchange of ideas on current social and employment policy issues in Germany and Austria.
Both countries are faced with similar challenges, so both sides found sharing experiences and exchanging ideas very enriching. President Schumann spoke of a "period of overlapping crises" in which social and labour market policies that give people confidence in these uncertain times while bolstering democracy and social stability are very much needed.
The talks also covered the sharp rise in energy and living costs due to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The effects of digital technologies and demographic trends on both the labour market and the welfare state were also discussed.