The president of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano was received by the entire Federal Council with military honours on the Münsterplatz in Bern.

The official meetings essentially concerned bilateral relations, in particular cooperation with regard to the economy and taxation, as well as various topical international issues. Opportunities for working together with Italy, which will assume the EU presidency in the second half of 2014, were also a topic for discussion.

On 21 May, Mr Burkhalter and Mr Napolitano travelled to Lugano in the company of their delegations, where they were received by the Ticino Cantonal Council. In addition, the two presidents participated at the lecture “The importance of the cultural exchange between Switzerland and Italy” at the University of the Italian speaking part of Switzerland (USI).

The last state visit of an Italian president to Switzerland, Mr Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, took place in May 2003.

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Italy

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Italy are based on a complex set of agreements. In May 2012, Switzerland and Italy initiated a dialogue on their respective financial and fiscal sectors. With respect to energy and transport policy, as well as the development of infrastructure, close cooperation is already under way.

Switzerland and Italy consider dialogue on agriculture to be important, and discussions on that subject took place in February 2013 for the second time. Dialogue of this kind provides Switzerland with a welcome opportunity to raise bilateral, European and international issues with its third-largest trading partner.

Italy is Switzerland’s third-largest trading partner, after Germany and the United States, with a balance of trade which is regularly in surplus (CHF 3.8 billion in 2012).

With direct investments of CHF 25 billion, Switzerland, as Italy’s ninth largest investor nation, created over 78’000 jobs in Italy in 2011. In the same year, Italy made CHF 4.2 billion of direct investments in Switzerland, providing jobs for 13’000 people.

Around 500’000 Italian citizens live in Switzerland. They represent an important part of relations between the two countries.

Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Italy

Bern, 20 May 2014 – Speech

The presidents Didier Burkhalter and Giorgio Napolitano gave a speech before the members of the Federal Council.

Extract:
“The border regions lie at the heart of exchanges between our two countries. Cross-border workers from Italy, drawn to a dynamic economy – essentially in the Canton of Ticino – contribute to the prosperity of the whole region. The Federal Council is aware that this also presents challenges. Close collaboration in the border region is needed, and constructive proposals are on the table which should provide positive outcomes for both parties.”

Speech (Didier Burkhalter, d, fr, it)
Speech (Giorgio Napolitano, it)