Sri Lanka – Luxembourg Bilateral Relations

Sri Lanka and Luxembourg established formal diplomatic relations in 1972. The Sri Lanka Mission in Brussels has been concurrently accredited to Luxembourg since 1976, whereas Luxembourg’s Mission in New Delhi has been concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka from January 2020. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is also a Member State of the European Union.

Luxembourg as a member of the European Union has been playing a significant role through the EU system in promoting deeper cooperation with Sri Lanka in many areas of interest including political, economic, educational, cultural, technical, scientific etc.

High Level Visits

• Former Foreign Minister Hon. Tilak Marapana paid an official visit to Luxembourg on 27th September 2017. This was the first visit of a Sri Lankan Foreign Minister to Luxembourg since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1972. This was due to the fact that interaction between the two countries had been within the United Nations and the European Union. 

• State Minister of Foreign Relations, Hon.Vasantha Senanayake paid an official visit to Luxembourg on 15th December 2017. State Minister called Hon. Romain Schneider, M.P., Minister of Social Security, Development Cooperation, Humanitarian Affairs and Sports of Luxembourg and Hon. Mars Di Bartolomeo, President of the Chamber of Deputies (Speaker of the Luxembourg Parliament).

• Hon. Jean Asselborn Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg visited Sri Lanka on 30th January 2020 for bilateral discussions with Hon. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. This was the first high level official visit from Luxembourg to Sri Lanka since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972. Minister Asselborn paid courtesy calls on the President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Prime Minister, Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa.

• Foreign Minister A.M.U. Ali Sabry met with Minister for Foreign & European Affairs and Minister of Immigration & Asylum of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn on the sidelines of the 2nd Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum on 13th May 2023 in Stockholm.

Agreement / MoUs signed between two countries

• Luxembourg together with Belgium signed an agreement on Maritime Transport between the Government of Sri Lanka and Belgium & Luxembourg in October, 2003.
• An Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation (DTA) between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg was signed on 31st January 2013 in Luxembourg. The negotiations are ongoing to renew the ‘Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg’. Sri Lanka has completed necessary internal procedures for the signing of the draft Protocol between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg for the Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion and is waiting for Luxembourg's readiness to conclude the draft protocol of convention and sign it.   

• Sri Lanka – Luxembourg Air Services Agreement was signed on 25.09.2018. 

• MoU between Sri Lanka Civil Aviation Authorities and Cargolux/Luxembourg on 25.09.2018. 

• The MoU on Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Luxembourg signed in 13 May 2023. 

Economic Cooperation

Sri Lanka’s export to Luxembourg was US$ 1.28 million in 2024 and import from Luxembourg was US$ 0.92 million in the same period.

Apparel was the main item of export from Sri Lanka to Luxembourg in 2024. Other important items of export from Sri Lanka to Luxembourg in 2024 were fisheries products, footwear, tea, food preparations, desiccated coconut, brooms and brushes etc.

Electrical machinery equipment parts, other machinery and mechanical appliances and parts, plastic products, rubber products etc. are main imports from Luxembourg to Sri Lanka.

Total foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from Luxembourg up to August 2025 amounted to USD 536.89 million. These investments have generated employment for 10,218 individuals and contributed exports valued at USD 415.73 million. At present, there are 08 Luxembourg investment projects are operating in Sri Lanka in sectors such as apparel, manufacturing, utilities, tourism & leisure.

Luxembourg is one of the smallest yet wealthiest countries in Europe and is a global financial hub.

Luxembourg Stock Exchange is one of the world's leading venues for listing of international debt securities. As the world’s first and leading platform for sustainable finance, the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) of the LuxSE provides issuers and investors an opportunity to shape the future of finance. 

The Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon (DFCC) PLC, which is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange has dual-listed their ‘Blue Bonds’ on the Luxembourg ‘Green Exchange’ (LGX) of the LuxSE.  The Alliance Finance Company PLC., has listed their ‘Green Bonds’ at Luxembourg ‘Green Exchange’ (LGX) of the LuxSE. It has been noted that some other Sri Lankan listed companies are also exploring sustainable financing through the LuxSE. The Sarvodaya Development Finance PLC has listed their sustainable bonds on the LuxSE becoming the first Sri Lankan Non-Bank Financial Institution to list a bond on the LuxSE.

Tourists’ arrival from Luxembourg was recorded as 854 in 2025 recording 11.78% growth of tourists’ arrival compared to 2024.