Liechtenstein and Switzerland mark 100 years of customs union

The event attracted some 6,000 people, with guests of honour including Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, sitting next to Hereditary Prince Alois and Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein. © Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller

Celebrations took place on Saturday along the Rhine River on the invisible border between the Alpine country and the small principality to mark the creation of a single economic area with the signing of the Customs Treaty on March 29, 1923.

Political and business figures had already celebrated the anniversary at a gala evening in late March. The event on Saturday was held for the local communities in the two countries.

According to the Liechtenstein National Police, around 6,000 people gathered on the two Rhine bridges between Sevelen in canton St. Gallen and Vaduz in Liechtenstein to sample music, St. Gallen bratwurst, Liechtenstein beer and the Engadiner nut tart (Bündner Nusstorte).

Those in attendance included Liechtenstein Head of Government Daniel Risch, Hereditary Prince Alois and his wife, Princess Sophie, and Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter.

Keller-Sutter told the crowd that “both countries have benefited greatly from the open borders.” A prosperous cross-border business and residential space had emerged in the Rhine Valley and on Lake Constance, she said, and become a leader in Europe in networking, economic power and innovation.

“Our customs treaty was blazing trails far in advance of the worldwide liberalisation efforts of the past decades,” the minister said.

Liechtenstein had been hit hard economically by the effects of the First World War because of its close ties to Austria. With the Customs Treaty, trade and customs agreements concluded by Switzerland with third countries automatically applied to Liechtenstein as well. The small state (which now has a population of 39,000) was thus integrated into the global economy through Swiss foreign trade policy. Liechtenstein adopted the Swiss Franc in 1924.

“The Customs Treaty opened the gateway to the world for us,” Deputy Head of Government Sabine Monauni told the press in the run-up to the anniversary.

During the event on Saturday, an art exhibition was opened on and around the old Rhine bridge. On display are installations created especially for the anniversary by artists from both sides of the border and that can be seen until July 31.