Day 2 of Grand Ducal, Ministerial State Visit to France

Today marked the second day of the state visit to France of Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Duchess and their delegation.

In the morning of 20 March 2018, Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess met with President of the Senate Gérard Larcher, in the presence of Minister Jean Asselborn, at an interview at the Hotel du Luxembourg.

Next on the agenda was their attendance at a reception at the Paris City Hall, followed by an interview with the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, again in the presence of Minister Jean Asselborn. This meeting was followed by the signing of a memorial parchment and the exchange of gifts. For his part, the Prime Minister and Minister of State Xavier Bettel was hosted at the Hotel de Matignon by the Prime Minister of the French Republic, Édouard Philippe, for a one on one meeting.

Subsequently, French and Luxembourg ministers, including the Deputy Prime Minister Etienne Schneider, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social and Solidarity Economy Nicolas Schmit, Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure François Bausch, Minister of Finance Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Health Lydia Mutsch, Minister in the Greater Region Corinne Cahen, Minister of the Environment Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for Higher Education and Research Marc Hansen and the Secretary of State for Culture Guy Arendt joined the hotel Matignon to participate in the intergovernmental France-Luxembourg seminar, a joint meeting of the Luxembourg and French governments under the joint presidency of the two Prime Ministers, which dealt with bilateral, cross-border and European issues. Topics such as the future of the European Union, nuclear safety, cooperation on climate change and cooperation in the Greater Region were the focus of the two delegations' discussions. 

The intergovernmental seminar was be followed by a luncheon hosted in the Council Chamber in Matignon by French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe in honour of Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess. Also present were the Luxembourg and French ministers who participated in the seminar.