Switzerland – m. Jean Noël Barrot’s meeting with mr Ignazio Cassis

Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, had a meeting with his Swiss counterpart, Mr Ignazio Cassis, in Geneva on Friday 8 May.

The Minister’s visit to Switzerland is consistent with the close, dynamic relationship between France and Switzerland, essential partners in Europe and bound by particularly detailed cooperation, especially in the border regions. In this respect, the Minister welcomed the headway made on cross-border cooperation, such as the agreements signed in September 2025 for greater coordination on managing the waters of the Rhône. This progress tangibly illustrates the advantages of greater coordination for the two countries’ citizens and territories.

The ministers talked about relations between the European Union and Switzerland, following the package of agreements signed on 2 March 2026. The Minister highlighted Switzerland’s role in promoting a more mutually supportive, competitive, sovereign Europe, and the importance of its contribution to the European Political Community, for which it is hosting a summit in 2027.

They also discussed cooperation in the area of artificial intelligence looking ahead to the Global AI Summit, which will be held in Geneva in 2027, following on from the summit organized in Paris in February 2025.

The ministers took stock of the main international crises, noting their broad convergence of views. The Minister paid tribute to Switzerland’s commitment in the framework of its chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Finally, the discussion focused on preparations for the G7 Evian summit, with the two ministers signalling the importance of in-depth bilateral discussions initiated at every level with this in mind.