The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, and the Federal Counselor of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, signed this Friday an agreement that establishes a mechanism for regular consultations with the aim of reinforcing and "consolidating" the political dialogue between both countries.
According to the note released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new framework provides for the holding of "annual consultations" and "whenever deemed necessary, on thematic and geographical areas of common interest."
In the meeting, the two ministers reviewed the state of bilateral relations and also addressed the main issues on the shared community and international agenda.
Foreign Affairs has highlighted that Spain and Switzerland enjoy "good bilateral relations in all areas" and has emphasized the importance of the more than 149,000 Spaniards residing in Swiss territory, the favorable balance in trade and investments, and the relevance of tourism as "the main item in the services balance," following the arrival in Spain of 2.25 million Swiss tourists during the last year.
The department has also emphasized the potential for growth in scientific cooperation between the two States, highlighting the presence of a significant number of Spanish scientists and researchers in Switzerland working in leading sectors such as "health, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies."
Switzerland's Relationship with the EU and Global Conflicts
In another section of the meeting, Albares and Cassis analyzed the evolution of Switzerland's ties with the European Union and its gradual approach to community institutions through the package of agreements known as "Bilateral III," which is currently under processing.
This package includes essential aspects such as "the conditions for Switzerland's access to the EU internal market" and the adaptation of its legislation to European jurisprudence, as well as Switzerland's role in peace and security on the continent in the current geopolitical context.
On the international level, both officials exchanged views on security issues, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, and the need to defend multilateralism.
After underscoring Switzerland's status as the host country for numerous international organizations and as the custodian of the Geneva Conventions on International Humanitarian Law, the two delegations have reiterated their support for the work of the International Criminal Court.