FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel holds political consultations in France

The talks in Paris, which were conducted by State Secretary Alexandre Fasel for Switzerland and Secretary General Anne-Marie Descôtes for France, focused on bilateral topics such as cross-border cooperation, trade relations, energy and transport. France is home to the largest Swiss community in the world (around 212,000 Swiss citizens), while Switzerland has more French citizens on its soil than any other country (170,000 French citizens).

The delegations also exchanged views on the development of Swiss–EU relations, with Mr Fasel informing the French side of the Federal Council's opening on 13 June 2025 of the consultation procedure on the agreements in the new Swiss–EU package to stabilise and develop relations. The initiative was welcomed by the French delegation, who emphasised the common interest in stable relations between Switzerland and the EU and expressed its full support for the agreements.

International issues were also discussed, including developments in the Middle East, the geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe and the challenges facing multilateralism and international law.

This latest round of consultations underlines the importance of relations between France and Switzerland, which are based on shared values, close economic ties and extensive political dialogue. The border regions are important for the Swiss economy and create a common living space between Switzerland and its neighbours. Geneva, home to numerous international organisations, is also particularly important for French workers.

Address for enquiries:

FDFA Communication Bundeshaus West 3003 Bern +41 58 460 55 55 kommunikation@eda.admin.ch