Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron will co-chair the 36th Italy-France Intergovernmental Summit on Thursday, as Rome and Paris seek to strengthen coordination on European priorities, security and bilateral industrial cooperation at a pivotal moment for international diplomacy.
Why it matters: According to the Italian government, the summit comes amid an unusually dense diplomatic calendar — following the G7 in Evian, the E5 meeting in Berlin and the launch of negotiations after the U.S.-Iran agreement, while also following the latest European Council and just days ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.
- Rome sees the meeting as an opportunity to align positions with Paris on key European and international dossiers.
The big picture: The summit is expected to set the political direction of Italy-France cooperation while reviewing progress on joint projects spanning defense, space, infrastructure and transport, energy, research, culture and agriculture.
- European discussions will focus on negotiations over the next Multiannual Financial Framework, migration governance, Europe’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness.
- On foreign policy, Meloni and Macron are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, the implications of the recent U.S.-Iran agreement and post-UNIFIL scenarios in Lebanon.
Follow the money: Economic ties remain a cornerstone of the relationship.
- According to Palazzo Chigi, bilateral trade reached €112.3 billion in 2025, confirming France as Italy’s second-largest trading partner after Germany and the second-largest destination for Italian exports.
- Italian exports to France totaled €64.9 billion, up 5.3% year-on-year, while imports reached €47.3 billion, an increase of 7.3%.
- The two governments also aim to further strengthen commercial and investment ties.
Business focus: Running in parallel with the summit, the Italy-France Business Forum will take place in Le Cannet.
- The event will begin with a morning B2B session bringing together Italian and French companies, followed by ministerial interventions and panel discussions on industrial and economic cooperation.
- According to the Italian government, several agreements are expected to be signed during the forum, including a partnership between Bpifrance and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti on deep-tech investments, a cooperation agreement between Business France and ICE Agency to promote reciprocal investment, a declaration of intent on small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), and a cooperation program between the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and Italy’s Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana.
What’s on the agenda: The day will begin with a joint visit by Meloni and Macron to the Picasso Museum in Antibes before the two leaders move to Villa Eilenroc for a bilateral meeting.
- The program will then include an agreement exchange ceremony, a joint press conference and the plenary session of the intergovernmental summit. The day will conclude with a dinner hosted by Macron, providing an opportunity for further discussions on international affairs.
- At the end of the summit, the two leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration outlining shared priorities for Italy-France cooperation in the coming years.
- Sectoral agreements are also expected in foreign affairs, defense, space, home affairs, agriculture, transport and culture.
Who’s there: The Italian delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Enterprise and Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso, Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, University and Research Minister Anna Maria Bernini, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, and Deputy Infrastructure and Transport Minister Edoardo Rixi.
The bottom line: Rome is framing the Antibes summit as more than a routine bilateral meeting. With Europe facing simultaneous debates over security, competitiveness, migration and industrial policy, the Italian government sees closer coordination with France as strategically important while seeking to deepen one of Italy’s largest economic partnerships.
