Andorra and Occitanie Leaders Prep Cross-Border Talks on Mobility and Smuggling

Andorra's head of government, Xavier Espot, met with Occitanie prefect Pierre André Durand in Toulouse on Monday for a preparatory session ahead of the 10th Andorra-Occitanie cross-border dialogue, scheduled for this autumn in the Principat.

Espot was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Imma Tor and Territory and Urban Planning Minister Raul Ferré. The session, co-chaired by Espot and Durand, also included Andorran ambassador Esther Rabasa and French ambassador Nicolas Eybalin. It marked the resumption of the cross-border talks following the previous meeting in Toulouse on 10 October 2025.

Discussions focused on key shared issues, including mobility improvements and efforts to combat tobacco smuggling. On the RN20 road, the two leaders reviewed initial findings from a risk assessment of the section hit by a major rockfall earlier this year, which temporarily closed access routes between Andorra and Haute-Ariège. Several scenarios were outlined, pending further details from ongoing studies to establish a timeline for essential safety works.

Durand confirmed that construction will be required and pledged to do everything possible to limit disruptions to traffic, in close coordination with all involved parties and guided by an ongoing technical expertise, with results expected by mid-July.

The meeting also covered progress on repairs to the Foix-Ax-les-Thermes railway line, suspended after severe weather in February 2026, with service set to resume on 30 June.

Espot and Durand praised a recent joint operation this week between French gendarmes and Andorran authorities against tobacco smuggling. They stressed the need to sustain and strengthen such efforts amid ongoing illicit activities, while highlighting the strong cooperation between their services and committing to intensify joint action against cross-border crime.