The two ministers will cover Swiss-Italian bilateral relations, which are very rich and diverse. This includes tax and financial matters, and Mr Cassis will also enquire about the status of dossiers linked to market access in Italy for financial service providers and the taxation of cross-border workers. Relations between Switzerland and the European Union (EU), Italy’s vision for the future of the EU and the challenges related to this will also be on the ministers’ agenda.
Another topic of discussion will concern cooperation between Switzerland and Italy with regard to migration policy, with a focus on the situation in the Mediterranean and Libya in particular. Mr Cassis is also interested in Italy’s chairmanship of the OSCE in 2018 and will share his views with Mr Alfano on the Italian chairmanship’s priorities for this international organisation.
Italy is Switzerland’s fifth-largest trading partner, with a volume of trade of CHF 34 billion in 2016. Some 320,000 Italian citizens currently live in Switzerland, forming the largest group of foreign nationals in the country, while another 70,000 Italians cross the border each day to work in Switzerland. More than 50,000 Swiss nationals live in Italy. The close ties between the two countries are expressed in the bilateral meetings that regularly take place at different levels.
Further information:
Bilateral relations Switzerland - Italy
Address for enquiries:
Information FDFA
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Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch
