The visit by Mr Parmelin, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), is aimed at maintaining and deepening bilateral economic and scientific relations with Greece and supporting the interests of companies. Meetings are planned with the ministers for economic affairs, development and investments. Mr Parmelin will also exchange views with representatives of the Swiss business and scientific community in Greece.

Talks with Minister of Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis and Development and Investment Minister Konstantinos Skrekas are on the agenda in the Greek capital.

The talks are aimed at optimising the economic framework conditions for Swiss companies in Greece and representing the interests of the Swiss private sector vis-à-vis the relevant ministries. A further aim is to maintain and develop bilateral relations in education, research and innovation.

On the island of Euboea, Mr Parmelin will visit an archaeological site of the École Suisse d'Archéologie en Grèce (ESAG), which is supported by the Confederation.

Solid bilateral relations

Switzerland maintains good bilateral economic and scientific relations with Greece that are based on its bilateral agreements with the EU. Trade between Switzerland and Greece was around CHF 1 billion last year. Switzerland mainly exports pharmaceutical products, precision instruments and machinery. More than 60 Swiss companies are operating in Greece today; they employ almost 10,000 people locally.

Since 1961, over 180 Greek researchers have received a Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship to do research in Switzerland. Between 2018 and 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation funded over 120 projects in which researchers from Switzerland and Greece worked together. In addition, researchers from Switzerland and Greece are collaborating in almost 270 research projects within the scope of the EU framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe.

Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin in Greece