State Secretary AlexandreFasel travelled to London for the annual strategic dialogue between Switzerland and the United Kingdom. He met with Christian Turner, Political Director, and Peter Wilson, Director General for Europe, at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. These annual meetings allow Switzerland and the UK to strengthen their bilateral relations and explore potential avenues to develop them further.  

This years’ consultations between the two delegations included a wide-ranging exchange on economic, financial and trade relations, as Switzerland and the UK are negotiating an update of their free trade agreement and a mutual recognition agreement in the field of financial services. Furthermore, detailed discussions on matters pertaining to mobility and migration took place. The talks also addressed scientific cooperation: one year after the signing of a memorandum of understanding in this area, collaboration has been particularly strengthened in life sciences, quantum computing and space. 

Discussions furthermore covered important European and international matters, in particular the Middle East conflict and its regional repercussions, as well as the implications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and the two countries’ actions in support of Ukraine. Lastly, they discussed multilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on the UN Security Council, where Switzerland currently serves as an elected non-permanent member. Development policy, conflict resolution and the fight against climate change were also on the agenda.

Press release