President Viola Amherd attended the European Political Community Summit in Budapest

Local news, 08.11.2024

More than 40 heads of state and government, leaders of EU institutions, NATO, and the OSCE gathered in Budapest on November 7, 2024, to discuss pressing issues for Europe at the European Political Community (EPC) summit. Swiss President Viola Amherd represented Switzerland and emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in Europe.

President Amherd at the EPC summit
President Amherd at the EPC summit © VBS

The initiative, launched by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022, brings together European countries (including EU accession candidates and European non-EU states) to discuss critical issues such as security, economic cooperation, energy, transportation, and migration. The fifth summit took place on November 7 in Budapest, two days after the US elections, the results of which provided important impulses for European countries.

President Amherd participated in a discussion on economic connectivity and collaboration in Europe. Another major focus of the summit was migration. Discussions also addressed the European security situation, the war in Ukraine, and the prospects for transatlantic relations. On the sidelines of the official program, the President held bilateral talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis. She also had a series of informal meetings.

The summit takes place each autumn in the EU country holding the EU Presidency; currently, it is Hungary. The host for the sixth EPC summit will be Albania, which will hold the event in spring 2025 in its capital, Tirana. In autumn 2025, Denmark will take over as the host.