Newslist

The International Space Summit, convened at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, was held in Paris on 9 and 10 September. High-level representatives from government, science, business, the military and civil society discussed shared visions and approaches to key issues raised by the growth in space activities. Switzerland was represented by State Secretary Martina Hirayama.

In August 2026 the consumer sentiment index stood at –33 points. This is 7 points higher than in August 2025. The following sub-indices are higher than in August 2025: economic outlook and past financial situation. The following sub-indices are lower than a year ago: financial outlook and moment to make major purchases.

Switzerland numbered a record 70 000 cultural organisations in 2024. This is 27% more than in 2011. By way of comparison, the number of enterprises in the economy as a whole grew by 16% in the same period. Nevertheless, the number of jobs in the cultural sector fell in 2024, as did the size of cultural organisations. These are some of the new findings from the Cultural Economy Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The 32nd Economic and Environmental Forum focuses on how the anticipation of technological developments and the strengthening of science-based diplomacy can contribute to security and stability across the OSCE area. The aim is to support participating States in better preparing for current and emerging challenges.

Speech by State Secretary Alexandre Fasel at the OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum in Prague. Check against delivery

The Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) is publishing the Josef Mengele file held in the Swiss Federal Archives (SFA). The file is therefore now available to anyone interested. Certain passages have been redacted to protect sources and the personal data of third parties.

For the first time, Empa researchers, in collaboration with researchers from Eawag and Agroscope, have systematically investigated how much microplastic enters the environment in Switzerland via the atmosphere. The result: More than 200 tons of plastic particles contaminate soil and water bodies each year. Of this amount, about 40 percent end up on agricultural land and in lakes and rivers.

Every year, Swiss wastewater treatment plants release around 5 tonnes of microplastics into the environment. That is relatively little: It is estimated that around twice as many microplastic enters Swiss water bodies via the atmosphere. These figures come from the largest nationwide investigation to date on ultrafine plastic particles in the air, water and soil, a joint project by Eawag, Empa and Agroscope. These figures were made possible thanks to a new approach to sampling that yields significantly more reliable results than previous processes..

On 1 June 2026, there were 45 493 vacant dwellings in Switzerland. This was 0.93% of the total dwelling stock (including single-family houses). There were thus 2962 fewer vacant dwellings compared with the previous year, a decrease of 6.1%. The downward trend in the vacancy rate observed since 2021 therefore continues. These are the latest results from the Federal Statistical Office's (FSO) Empty Dwellings Census.

On 9 September 2026, Lausanne hosted a high-level meeting dedicated to the role of sport in diplomacy and peace. Representatives from politics, sports and science from the Sahel region and West Africa discussed how sport can build trust, maintain dialogue and create opportunities for engagement when political relations are strained. Following the round table, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis met with high-ranking representatives of the authorities of the Confederation of Sahel States and Senegal.

The Federal Council has banned the purchase and import of gold originating in Sudan. The sale to Sudan of certain goods used in gold mining and gold extraction is also prohibited. In so doing, the Federal Council is aligning itself with the EU’s equivalent sanctions. The measures will come into force on 10 September.

The Federal Council wants to improve access to high-speed internet in sparsely populated areas. To this end, it adopted the dispatch to Parliament on the Broadband Promotion Act at its meeting on 9 September 2026. The Act provides for a temporary funding programme to support the roll-out of broadband networks using fibre optic or wireless technology.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will represent Switzerland at the opening of the UN General Assembly from 20 to 23 September 2026. This 81st session (from 8 September 2026 to 7 September 2027) will focus on restoring confidence in multilateral institutions and the necessary transformation of the UN. The successor to António Guterres as head of the UN Secretariat will also be a key issue at the 81st session.

The Swiss Confederation issued two bonds by auction on 09.09.2026: 0.875%, maturity 24.06.2041 (reopening) and 0.5%, maturity 30.05.2058 (reopening). The issuance volume (excluding own holdings) amounts to a total of 368.630 million francs.

Patents relating to plant breeding are to be disclosed in future. This will give breeders greater certainty in their breeding of new varieties. On 9 September 2026, the Federal Council acknowledged the results of the consultation and adopted the dispatch on the revision of the Patents Act for submission to Parliament.

Scientists from Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have used an electric field to reverse the handedness of atomic vibrations known as chiral phonons. Chiral phonons link magnetism with atomic motion. The ability to control them opens new possibilities for phonon-based information technologies.

Ambassadors newly accredited to Switzerland present credentials

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, and the mayor of Bern, Marieke Kruit, today presented the winning proposal for the creation of the place of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism in Bern. The winning design, entitled ‘unfolded minute’, which combines an artistic approach with an information element, will be installed on the terrace of the Casino by the end of 2027.

Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the presentation of the project for a Swiss Memorial to the Victims of National Socialism: a place of remembrance in the city of Bern. Check against delivery.

Switzerland is enhancing its international cooperation in the defence area – armasuisse takes part in the research project “Fuel Cells for Soldier Systems II” (FUSS II) of the European Defence Agency (EDA). On 3 September 2026, all parties involved signed the project agreement. The project will develop portable fuel cells for use by members of the armed forces and other mobile applications. Switzerland is thus strengthening its European cooperation in research and technology.

A similar trend was observed in market sector activities across the Swiss economy in the 2nd quarter 2026: turnover rose by 5.3% compared with the same quarter of the previous year and employment in these same market sector activities rose by 2.0% (total employment +2.0%).

The Swiss Confederation is offering two bonds on a public tender system on 09.09.2026: 0.875%, maturity 24.06.2041 (reopening) and 0.5%, maturity 30.05.2058 (reopening).

The UN sanctions committee has amended the list of sanctioned individuals, companies and organizations. The SESAM database has been updated accordingly. On 4 March 2016 the Federal Council has adopted the Ordinance on the automatic application of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists. Hence, the amendments of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists enter into force in Switzerland without delay.

The Federal Tax Administration has updated the course listings and bonus shares 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Opening address of Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Federal Councillor, on the occasion of the Venice Production Bridge. Check against delivery.

Switzerland is increasing its support for the people of Nepal affected by the flash flooding of 26 August 2026. Just one day after the disaster the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) made USD 1 million available for emergency humanitarian relief. In response to the UN appeal published today, it is now committing a further USD 1 million. At the same time three Swiss specialists are being deployed to provide on-the-ground assistance with reconstruction and disaster risk management.

Fifty-one years after the Helsinki Final Act was adopted, the Swiss OSCE Chairpersonship brought together political leaders, diplomats, historians and experts in Bern to reflect on the origins of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) – the predecessor organisation of today’s OSCE – and the relevance of its founding principles for European security today and tomorrow. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ignazio Cassis, and the OSCE Secretary-General, Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, also took part in the conference.

Address by Federal Councillor and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis at the high-level segment of the conference in Bern, co-organized with the Dodis research centre – Check against delivery

Giacomo Sala is combining two previously separate disciplines of physics: the established field of spintronics and the emerging field of quantum geometry. His Q-GEOMSPIN project at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI could pave the way for more efficient data storage – and is now being funded with approximately CHF 2.2 million by the European Research Council (ERC).

The fertility rate in Switzerland is at its lowest level on record. Persistently low fertility rates are slowing the growth of the domestic working-age population and speeding up the ageing of the population. As a result, they also pose challenges for public finances.The FFA's new working paper analyses the causes and consequences of persistently low fertility rates, and identifies potential approaches for forward-looking economic and fiscal policy.“AFF Working Paper No.30 Low fertility rates: A fiscal policy perspective” (available in German only; summaries in French, Italian and English).

In the second quarter of 2026, Switzerland’s gross domestic product (GDP) adjusted for sporting events grew by 1.5%, following growth of 0.5% in the previous quarter.(1)(2) This is the strongest GDP growth recorded since the third quarter of 2021. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry made the largest contribution to growth, while value added also increased across a wide range of other sectors. Domestic demand recovered after a weak start to the year.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.4% in August 2026 compared with the previous month, reaching 101.5 points (December 2025 = 100). Inflation was +0.8% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

A new notification of cessation of the investigation (aviation) is available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB).

On 2 September, the Federal Council elected environmental scientist Tobias Walser to the ETH Board as a delegate of the university assemblies of ETH Zurich and EPFL.

‘From Geneva to Helsinki: founding process and core purpose of the OSCE’ is the theme of the international conference that Switzerland is hosting on 3 and 4 September 2026. Organised in partnership with the Dodis (Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland) research centre, the conference is taking place under the country's chairpersonship of the OSCE. Senior representatives of OSCE participating states and of the political and academic worlds will be examining the founding principles of the organisation and its future role in a changing geopolitical landscape.

You could be interested by new pages which have been published on the OFCOM website between 15.08.2026 and 31.08.2026.

The Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) is launching the invitation to tender for a significant proportion of the mobile radio frequencies currently in use, which will become available and be awarded as of 1 January 2029. The primary objectives of the award are to maintain and further develop the three high-quality mobile communications networks and to foster competition in the mobile communications market. The award is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2027 by means of an auction.

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

As the national weather and climate service and a critical infrastructure for Switzerland, MeteoSwiss provides essential services for Switzerland, such as flight weather information, severe weather warnings and analyses of the spread of pollutants. With the RZPlus programme, MeteoSwiss plans to increase the resilience of its services by establishing geo-redundant configurations for its business-critical solutions and ICT resources, and adjusting ICT processes. Owing to a large number of external and internal challenges such as budget cuts, the scope and objectives of RZPlus have had to be substantially reduced. The SFAO welcomes the fact that MeteoSwiss is standing by RZPlus despite these challenges. However, it notes the risk that the adapted programme objectives may not bring the expected savings as regards operating costs of on-premises computer centres. Thus, over the long term, less will be achieved with the same money.

Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will attend a meeting of gender equality ministers from German-speaking countries in Vaduz on 31 August. This year’s gathering will focus on current gender equality challenges in the digital age, as well as how to address anti-feminist tendencies. The meeting brings together representatives from Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Austria and Switzerland.

In the economy as a whole (private and public sectors), the overall wage gap between women and men continued to narrow, falling to 15.7% in 2024, down from 16.2% in 2022. This is a finding from the detailed report analysing the gender wage gap based on data from the 2024 Swiss Earnings Structure Survey (ESS), carried out by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The UN sanctions committee has amended the list of sanctioned individuals, companies and organizations. The SESAM database has been updated accordingly. On 4 March 2016 the Federal Council has adopted the Ordinance on the automatic application of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists. Hence, the amendments of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists enter into force in Switzerland without delay.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, ETH Zurich and the University of Amsterdam have directly observed the optical Magnus effect for the first time. This phenomenon is the optical counterpart of an effect from classical mechanics. It is relevant to quantum computing because it can influence the precise control of qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information.

The general government, comprising the Confederation, cantons, municipalities and social security schemes, is expected to generate a financing surplus of around CHF 4 billion in 2025. The general government's gross debt, as defined by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is expected to rise by around CHF 5.4 billion to CHF 353.2 billion in 2025 (40.7% of GDP).This is shown in the latest financial statistics figures, which are available on the website of the Federal Finance Administration:Main aggregatesDetailed FS data (financial statistics, for national comparability)Detailed GFS data (Government Finance Statistics, based on the IMF standard)International comparison

From landmark architecture to street signs, our built environment is exposed to the elements. But which atmospheric factors must new buildings be protected from? And how can the “ravages of time” be slowed down when it comes to World Heritage sites? Empa researchers analyze the corrosion of metal building components and are working on an economical and sustainable approach to combating corrosion.

In the 2nd quarter 2026, total employment (excluding agriculture) in Switzerland rose by 2.0% compared with the same quarter of the previous year (seasonally adjusted, +0.5% over previous quarter). Enterprises reported 2.7% more job vacancies than a year earlier and difficulties recruiting skilled workers have increased compared with the previous quarter. The employment outlook remains positive. These are some of the latest findings from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Between 2023 and 2025, the unemployment rate (based on the ILO definition) one year after graduation rose among graduates of Swiss universities and institutes of technology (UIT) and universities of applied sciences (UAS). It rose from 3.9% to 6.4% among holders of a UIT master’s degree and from 3.4% to 4.9% among holders of a UAS bachelor’s degree. Among graduates of universities of teacher education (UTE), it remained low at just 0.7%. These are some of the results of the Swiss Graduate Survey, conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Thin films made of metal oxides are the key technology behind most of our electronics. However, surprisingly little is known about the mechanical properties of these nanometer-scale technological marvels. Empa researcher Vivek Devulapalli aims to close this knowledge gap. He has been awarded a two-year Empa Young Scientist Fellowship for his research project.

Switzerland’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.6% in 2025 at the previous year’s prices. This continued growth compared with 2024 (+1.5%) is linked to strong domestic demand (+2.5 %). Investment in particular (+3.5 per cent) was the main driver of this GDP growth. Gross national income (GNI) at current prices registered an increase of 2.5%, reflecting an improved balance of income with other countries. These initial estimates for 2025 from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) are accompanied by a revision of 2024 GDP growth at previous year's prices, which is now set at 1.5% compared with 1.4% in the initial estimates.

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) at the summer event of the think tank metrobasel – Check against delivery.