Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation
11/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/19/2024 13:06
State Secretary Alexandre Fasel travels to London for strategic dialogue between Switzerland and the UK
On Tuesday, 19 November 2024, the state secretary of the FDFA, Alexandre Fasel, travelled to London for the annual round of talks as part of the strategic dialogue between Switzerland and the UK. This year's discussions centred on bilateral issues, including the ongoing revision of the bilateral free trade agreement, and the current geopolitical context with its associated challenges.
The strategic dialogue began with a meeting between Mr Fasel and Nick Thomas-Symonds, UK minister for the constitution and relations with the EU. The main topic of this first meeting in London was the two countries' relations with the EU, during which Mr Fasel also briefed Mr Thomas-Symonds on the current status of negotiations between Switzerland and the EU.
This was followed by political discussions with Deborah Bronnert, director general for Europe at the UK Foreign Office. Economic, financial and trade relations formed the focus of today's talks. Switzerland and the UK have been negotiating a revision of their free trade agreement since May 2023. In December 2023, they signed the Berne Financial Services Agreement, which covers mutual recognition in financial services. The delegations also addressed matters related to mobility, cooperation in the fight against corruption and security collaboration.
Finally, current global developments also featured prominently in this year's dialogue. Geopolitical challenges in Europe, and even more so in the Middle East, remain substantial. The two delegations exchanged perspectives on the war in Ukraine and the actions taken by their respective countries to support Ukraine. In this context, they also discussed the outcomes and significance of the recent European Political Community summit in Hungary. Furthermore, the two countries discussed their seats on the UN Security Council in New York, including their commitment to strengthening the inclusion of scientific and technological developments on peace and security, and resolved to strengthen their collaboration within international bodies in the coming year.
The annual strategic dialogue meetings enable Switzerland and the UK to deepen their bilateral relations and explore avenues for further development. Since the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the two countries have managed their relationship - previously governed by Switzerland-EU bilateral agreements - through a series of new bilateral agreements.
Further information:
Bilateral relations Switzerland-United Kingdom
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FDFA Communication
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