David Burt had a wide-ranging meeting with Ángel Gurría, the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development during his first official visit to Europe.

The meeting in Paris was a chance for the Premier to discuss how the OECD is assisting small countries to address environmental issues such as global warming. They also talked about recent events in the European Union.

Bermuda’s recent OECD rating of “largely compliant” was praised, as was its placement on France’s country-by-country reporting White List.

Mr Burt also attended a meeting of the French Insurance Federation and gave assurances to French reinsurance partners that Bermuda is committed to dialogue with its key European partners, particularly those in Brussels.

The Premier also met Head of Cabinet Commissioner Neven Mimica, who heads international co-operation development. It was an opportunity to set the tone for a future relationship with Brussels on the basis of Bermuda’s reinsurance industry’s economic contribution to Europe.

Mr Burt said: “Bermuda has been granted Solvency II equivalency in insurance by the EU. We have led in the efforts for international transparency and we are seen as a strong financial player in the EU market and by political heads in Brussels.”