State Secretary Alexandre Fasel chairs strategic dialogue between Switzerland and UK in Bern
Bern, 16.10.2026 — On Friday 16 October 2026 in Bern, FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel received Stewart Wood, Lord Wood of Anfield, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom, for the annual strategic dialogue between Switzerland and the UK. This year's talks focused on bilateral matters and on the challenging geopolitical context.
The dialogue focused on the political, economic, financial and trade relations between the two countries, as well as ways of further developing these ties. The two countries concluded negotiations on a modern free trade agreement in July 2026. In addition, the Berne Financial Services Agreement has been in force since January 2026, facilitating market access for Swiss financial services providers in the UK. The delegations also addressed matters related to mobility, democracy and security cooperation. Further developing the two countries' already strong partnership in science and innovation was another key item on the agenda, with a particular emphasis on AI and the Geneva AI Summit, which will be organised by Switzerland in 2027. Other topics of discussion included Switzerland's dual education system and the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator.
Another key focus of the dialogue was the respective relations of both countries with the EU. Mr Wood outlined the policy towards the EU as part of his government's UK-EU reset strategy under the new British Prime Minister, while Mr Fasel explained the Switzerland–EU package (Bilaterals III). Both sides agreed that open markets are of great importance to the competitiveness of the whole of Europe.
Lastly, current global developments also featured in this year's dialogue. Geopolitical challenges in Europe, and even more so in the Middle East, remain substantial. The two delegations also shared their views on the war in Ukraine. Multilateral issues were also discussed, in particular the importance of International Geneva and Switzerland's 2026 term as chair of the OSCE and, specifically, the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council meeting on 3 and 4 December in Lugano.
The annual strategic dialogue meetings enable Switzerland and the UK to deepen their bilateral relations and explore avenues for further development. Since the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the two countries have managed their relationship – previously governed by Swiss–EU bilateral agreements – through a series of new bilateral agreements.