News

Switzerland will participate in the 14th regular Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March 2026. State Secretary Helene Budliger Artieda, Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), will lead the Swiss delegation.

At its meeting on 13 March, the Federal Council took note of the report by the Board of Directors of RUAG International Holding AG (RUAG International) on the achievement of targets in the 2025 financial year. The strategic goals set by the Federal Council were partially achieved. The Federal Council was also informed about the findings of the advisory group on the strategic development of Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space). RUAG International's Board of Directors is to be largely renewed.

Reducing emissions from road transport remains one of the major challenges on the path to climate neutrality. While electric mobility is increasing its market share, millions of vehicles with combustion engines that rely on gasoline will remain in use for many years to come. Empa researcher Alessia Cesarini is developing a climate‑friendly gasoline that could reduce emissions immediately – without replacing cars or refueling infrastructure. For her work, she has recently been awarded the Empa Entrepreneur Fellowship.

In early July 2026, Geneva will host three international conferences on artificial intelligence and the information society. The AI for Good Global Summit, which will be opened by Federal Councillor Albert Rösti, will take centre stage.

President Guy Parmelin, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, met with Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng in Bern on 23 March. Following the meeting, Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, chaired the sixth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training.

As of 23 March 2026, the state financial statements for 2025 are available in electronic format on the website of the Federal Finance Administration (FFA). The figures are also available in the federal budget data portal. The hard copy will be released on 14  April 2026. The Federal Treasury activity report is published to complement the state financial statements.

Florian Schütz, Director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will be attending the RSAC Conference in San Francisco from 23 to 26 March. This leading global event in the field of IT and cybersecurity brings together representatives from industry, science, and public administration. During the conference, Mr Schütz will participate in various panels and hold bilateral talks with representatives from industry and international organisations.

Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter will meet her UK counterpart, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, in London on 24 March 2026. The ministers will discuss the agreement on mutual recognition in financial services and current geopolitical challenges, among other things.

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

In 2025, the police registered a total of 554 963 offences under the Swiss Criminal Code (SCC). Compared with the previous year, the number of criminal offences fell by 1.5%, which can be attributed in particular to the 3.5% decrease in offences against property. As in previous years, the number of serious violent offences has risen (+8.1%). Of the 55 completed homicides, 61.8% occurred in the domestic sphere. These are some of the findings of the Police Crime Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

On 19.03.2026 the Federal Department of Economic Affairs EAER has amended annex 8 to the ordinance. As a result, 7 individuals were removed from annex 8. The measures come into force at 11 pm on 20.03.2026.

On 20 March, the Federal Council examined the implications of applying the principle of neutrality to exports to the states involved in the Iran conflict. The export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict. Existing licences and exports of other goods will now be regularly reviewed by an interdepartmental group of experts, particularly with regard to their compatibility with neutrality.