On September 27, 2024 Federal Council of Switzerland ratified one rectification of the border with Italy. Presumably the change will also be approved by the Italian authorities soon. The change concerns a small portion of territory on the Mount Matterhorn (the third highest mountain in Italy) and became necessary due to climate change. The Italian-Swiss border, in fact, passes over the ridges of glaciersrather than on the rock, and the reduction in the extent of the ice can cause it to move over time. After a long dispute, in May 2023 a commission made up of representatives of the two countries found an agreement for the rectification also respecting the economic interests of the two countries. The area subject to intervention is that of Pink Plateaubetween the Carrel refuge and the Gobba di Rolli, on which ski and tourist resorts are located. A similar rectification, for similar reasons, was ratified by the Swiss country also regarding the border with France.
How long is the Italian-Swiss border and where does it pass
The border between the Italian Republic and the Swiss Confederation extends for 744 kilometersbetween Monte Dolent to the west (at a point also shared with France) and Piz Lat to the east (at a point also shared with Austria). Next to the main border, there is a minor border, included in the 744 km, which surrounds the municipality of Italian championan exclave of Italy located in the territory of Switzerland.
The border with Switzerland is the most “stable” of our country’s borders (not counting the one with the Republic of San Marino). Let’s remember that Italy it borders four countries “external”, France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, and with two enclaves located in the national territory: Vatican City and the Republic of San Marino.
The border with Switzerland has not undergone substantial changes in the last two centuries. Already in the Napoleonic era, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the borders of Switzerland were established with the Kingdom of Sardinia and with the Italian territories subject to the Austrian empire. In 1861, after the unification of Italy was proclaimed, the border that divided Switzerland from the pre-unification states became the border between the two countries, still “in force” today.
Switzerland has in fact declared the permanent neutrality and, consequently, it has not fought wars either with Italy or with other countries. For this reason, while Italy’s borders with France, Austria and Yugoslavia/Slovenia have undergone significant changes due to the wars (in the French case, the most important change occurred to achieve unification, with the cession of Nice and Savoy) , the Italian-Swiss one remained the same. It only became longer after the First World War, when Italy annexed the Austrian territories of Trentino and Alto Adige/South Tyrol, located on the border with the Swiss Confederation. In the following years the border has only suffered small correctionssanctioned by agreements between the two countries, such as the “annexation” of the Valle di Lei Dam to Switzerland, established in 1952, or an exchange of small portions of territory near the town of Livigno, which took place in 1990.
What are the recent changes to the Italian-Swiss border
The Italian-Swiss border passes over the Alps in some places it is not traced on the rock, but on the ridges of glaciers (also called “watershed lines” because they delimit the river basins). The extent of glaciers can change over time, thus making the boundary “mobile”. Today the problem is particularly sensitive due to global warming, which is reducing the extent of glaciers in many areas of the world.
One of the best-known cases is that of the Marmolada glacier, which is irreversibly shrinking and in 2022 was the scene of the collapse of a huge block of ice and the death of eleven people. The melting of glaciers often shifts boundaries that pass on the watershed lines, but generally the changes affect very small portions of territory located in remote and inaccessible areas, which do not create any problems.
The case is different Mount Matterhorn and of the border that separates the Italian municipality of Cervinia and the Swiss municipality of Zerrmatt, the subject of the recent rectification. They are located in the “disputed” area ski facilities and alpine refugesso the location of the border has economic consequences.
The issue has caused a long dispute between Italy and Switzerland, which is currently being resolved. A mixed commissioncomposed of representatives of the Italian Military Geographical Institute (IGM) and the Federal Office of Topography of Switzerland (Swisstopo) reached agreement on the changes in May 2023. The change affects the areas known as Testa Grigia, Plateau Rosa , Carrel Refuge and Gobba di Rollin and guarantees the Switzerland to acquire a very small portion of territorywhich does not include ski facilities and refuges. The Swiss Federal Council ratified the convention last September 27 (at the same time as a correction of the border with France, due to other reasons) and it is assumed that the Italian government will also approve it soon.
