Joint Statement - Commission for Franco-Monegasque Cooperation (Monaco, 28 November 2025)

©Direction de la Communication - Manuel Vitali

The Commission for Franco-Monegasque Cooperation met in Monaco on 28 November 2025. Established in 2002, in the spirit of the “common destiny” shared by the two countries, the Commission meets annually, alternating between Paris and Monaco. It serves as a framework for regular consultation on issues of national interest and steers bilateral cooperation in a number of areas.

This meeting followed the State Visit by the President of the French Republic to the Principality in June 2025.

It was co-chaired by H.E. Mr Christophe Mirmand, Minister of State of the Principality of Monaco, and Ms Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. The French delegation* included representatives from the various government departments and agencies involved in relations with Monaco. The Monegasque delegation** comprised members of the Prince’s Government and senior officials.

During the meeting, the delegations discussed Monaco’s continuing efforts to tackle money laundering, noting the significant progress made since the publication of the MONEYVAL report and the FATF evaluation. The Principality reaffirmed its commitment to putting in place strong and effective structures and mechanisms, whilst France expressed its support for the actions taken by Monaco and the importance of achieving lasting results.

The delegations also discussed the need to update the Franco-Monegasque Customs Agreement.  Though a succession of amendments have been made to the Agreement since it was adopted in 1963, some of the provisions have been made obsolete by changes in French and European Union law.

Also on the agenda for the Commission meeting were the steps taken by Monaco with the EU Commission following the decision to pause the Association Agreement negotiations, along with moves to strengthen cooperation between France and Monaco in the areas of security and traffic law enforcement, and the introduction of supervising driving rules in the Principality. The delegations agreed to set up a working group to address these topics.

Following on from previous Commission meetings, the two countries also discussed the mobility issues currently affecting the many commuters who come to work in Monaco every day, which require close collaboration between the relevant authorities on both sides of the border.

In the area of health and social affairs, the Commission noted that work was well underway to update the bilateral agreement on social security, making changes to the billing of medical treatments provided by Princess Grace Hospital to patients covered by the French state health insurance regime.

The Commission looked at the issue of waste transportation between France and Monaco, and current regulations on imports and exports.

The two countries also confirmed their willingness to work together to ensure continued French diplomatic and consular representation in the Principality.

The delegations agreed that the next meeting of the Commission for Franco-Monegasque Cooperation would be held in Paris in 2026, with an interim meeting of the Commission for Local Cross-Border Cooperation between France and Monaco due to take place in Nice on 13 January 2026.

* French delegation:

Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

-        Ms Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary-General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

-        Ms Stéphanie Debien, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

-        Mr Jean d’Haussonville, Ambassador of the Republic of France to Monaco

-        Mr Thomas Guibert, Head of the Mediterranean, Western, and Scandinavian Europe Office at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

-        Mr Yann Battefort, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in Monaco

-        Ms Olivia Lamy, Monaco Policy Officer, Mediterranean Europe mission, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture

-        Mr Laurent Hottiaux, Prefect, Alpes-Maritimes

-        Ms Laura Reynaud, Sub-Prefect, Nice Montagne

-        Ms Angelina Raffalli, Local Government Administrator responsible for cross-border cooperation, Alpes-Maritimes Prefecture

-        Mr Nicolas Stroh, Deputy Head of Risk Prevention (DREAL PACA)

-        Mr Jean-Philippe Catanese, Director of the Alpes-Maritimes Public Finance Department

Departments of Social Security, Health, and Employment

-        Ms Anne-Gaëlle Casandjian, Head of the Community and International Affairs Division, Department of Social Security

-        Ms Yasmine Elka, Special Advisor on European Health Action, Delegation on European and International Affairs

Interior Ministry

-        Mr Patrick Lapouze, Programme Director, Department of European and International Affairs, Ministry of the Interior

Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty 

-        Mr Pierre Allegret, Deputy Director of Financial Crime Enforcement & Sanctions, Treasury Department

Directorate-General of Customs and Indirect Taxes

-        Mr Gil Lorenzo, Deputy Director (DGDDI)

-        Mr Florent Nourian, Head of Anti-Trafficking and Organised Crime Enforcement (DGDDI)

Ministry for Ecological Transition

-        Mr Philippe Ramet, Assistant Deputy Director of European Action, Ministry for Ecological Transition

** Monegasque delegation:

-        H.E. Mr Christophe Mirmand, Minister of State

-        Ms Céline Caron-Dagioni, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development

-        Ms Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

-        Mr Christophe Robino, Minister of Health and Social Affairs

-        Mr Pierre-André Chiappori, Minister of Finance and Economy

-        Mr Lionel Beffre, Minister of Interior

-        Mr Marco Piccinini, Ambassador for International Financial Negotiations

-        H.E. Ms Valérie Bruell-Melchior, Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco to France

-        Mr Marc Vassallo, Secretary-General of the Government

-        Ms Elodie Kheng, Chief of Staff to the Minister of State

-        Ms Séverine Canis Froidefond, Director General of the Ministry of Finance and Economy

-        Ms Kristel Malgherini, Director General of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

-        Mr Christophe Prat, Director General of the Ministry of Interior

-        Mr Sébastien Siccardi, Director General of the Ministry of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development

-        Mr Jean-Marie Veran, Special Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

-        Mr Bruno Dalles, Director of the Monegasque Financial Security Authority