In his speech, Mr Fasel praised the Intergovernmental Commission as a “living testimony to the importance of cross-border cooperation in the development of dynamic, high-performance border regions in Europe.” The Intergovernmental Commission is an example of how proximity, dialogue and pragmatism can deliver concrete solutions across borders.

The Intergovernmental Commission, which was established in 1975 through the Bonn Agreement, is the key link between the French-German-Swiss Upper Rhine Conference and the respective national governments. It examines and coordinates issues spanning neighbouring regions that require intergovernmental regulation, and makes recommendations to the governments in Berlin, Paris and Bern. This cooperation was deepened and institutionally strengthened with the Basel Agreement of 2000.

Issues discussed at the meeting included railway and road infrastructure, statistics, and environmental aspects of forever chemicals and geothermal energy. Also on the agenda was the improved integration of command centres and civil protection in the border regions. The delegations emphasised that the cross-border instruments in the Upper Rhine region have established it as a recognised model of European cooperation.

The meeting was followed by a ceremony with representatives from politics, business and civil society from the three countries. Mr Fasel, the German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Sebastian Wüste, and the French Ambassador for Cross-Border Cooperation, Philippe Voiry, talked about the future of trinational cooperation. They signed a joint declaration in which they emphasised the benefits and necessity of close coordination across borders. In his speech, Conradin Cramer, the president of the Cantonal Council of Basel-Stadt and chair of the Upper Rhine Conference 2025, referred to the motto of this year's chairmanship with the following words: “Here on the Upper Rhine in the heart of Europe, we are building bridges between countries, institutions and people – based on mutual trust, common values and shared responsibility.”

At the Basel meeting, the chair of the Intergovernmental Commission also passed from Switzerland to France, which will organise the next meeting in 2026.

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