Bureau des ÃŽles Anglo-Normandes

The Governments of Guernsey and Jersey have renewed their partnership agreement with the departmental council of Ille et Vilaine for another three years.

 Representatives from both Islands were due to attend the annual summit between Guernsey, Jersey, and Ille et Vilaine in St Malo today where the agreement would have been signed, but due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions, the parties agreed to go ahead with the signing by videoconference.  The agreement has been signed, enabling cooperation between the three jurisdictions to continue for a further three years.  A formal meeting of representatives has been rescheduled for spring 2021.

 Jersey has enjoyed fifteen years of joint working with one of its closest neighbours, Ille et Vilaine. Guernsey officially joined the partnership in 2017. The cooperation agreement facilitates joint working in a number of areas, including education and youth, culture and arts, as well as transport, and trade.  It also enables discussions to take place on strategic issues such as the impact on the Channel Islands and the port of St Malo of the UK’s departure from the EU.  In 2019, the Prefecture of Brittany attended the annual summit as an observer to provide updates on subjects within its mandate such as emergency planning and customs and immigration matters.

 At the virtual signing ceremony, the departmental council of Ille et Vilaine was represented by its President, Jean Luc Chenut; Jersey was represented by the Chief Minister, Senator John Le Fondré and Minister for External Relations, Senator Ian Gorst; and Guernsey was represented by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy and Resources Committee with responsibility for external relations.