State Secretary Fasel chairs the Strategic Dialogue between Switzerland and the United Kingdom in Bern

At the centre of the Dialogue were the political, economic, financial and trade relations between the two countries, as well as opportunities to further develop them. Switzerland and the United Kingdom concluded negotiations on a modern free trade agreement in July 2026. Since January 2026, the Bern Financial Service Agreement has also been in force, facilitating market access for Swiss financial service providers in the United Kingdom. The two delegations also discussed issues of mobility, democracy and security cooperation. The further development of the already close cooperation in the field of science and innovation was also part of the discussions, with a focus on artificial intelligence and the Geneva AI Summit, which will be organised by Switzerland in 2027. Further topics of discussion were Switzerland's dual education system and the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA).

Another key focus of the Dialogue was the respective relations of both countries with the EU. Lord Wood outlined the policy towards the EU within the framework of the 'UK-EU Reset' under the new British Prime Minister, while State Secretary Fasel explained the Switzerland–EU package (Bilateral Agreements III). Both sides agreed that open markets are of great importance for the competitiveness of the European continent.

Finally, current world events were also on the agenda for this year's Dialogue. The geopolitical challenges in Europe and, in particular, in the Middle East remain significant. The two delegations also exchanged views on the war in Ukraine. Multilateral issues were also discussed, in particular the importance of International Geneva, Switzerland's OSCE presidency and, specifically, the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council meeting on 3 and 4 December in Lugano.

The annual meetings enable Switzerland and the United Kingdom to deepen their bilateral relations and to examine how these can be further developed. Since the United Kingdom's departure from the EU, the two countries have regulated their relations, which previously rested on the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU, through a series of new bilateral agreements.