News

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.

Brain tumors cannot always be successfully treated with conventional therapies. A team from Empa and the hospital network HOCH Health Ostschweiz is therefore developing nanozymes that can at-tack cancer cells directly in the brain during tumor surgery. The project can now be started thanks to the generous support of several foundations.

During his visit to Serbia on Tuesday, 28 April, President Guy Parmelin met with President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut. The talks focused on bilateral relations, the situation in the Western Balkans, the introduction of a human rights dialogue, and international affairs. The presidential visit saw the signing of an agreement on an innovation programme and the launch of a new cooperation programme for the period up to 2029.

Between 2010 and 2024, the number of doctoral students at Swiss higher education institutions increased by 29%. This increase is almost exclusively due to a rise in the number of doctoral students in the fields of medicine, technical sciences, and exact and natural sciences. The higher education institutions are able to cope with the increase in the number of doctoral students while guaranteeing them good employment conditions and high-quality supervision. Finally, with regard to the labour market, doctorate holders have lower unemployment rates and higher earnings than those with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

In Pristina on 27 April 2026, the head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Patricia Danzi, presented Switzerland's new cooperation programme for Kosovo. The CHF 64.5 million programme will run from 2026 to 2029 and will focus on democratic governance, economic development and equitable human development. It will be implemented by the SDC and the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the FDFA, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.

The Swiss Federal Pension Fund PUBLICA is publishing its Annual Report and Responsible Investment Report for 2025. PUBLICA’s investments achieved a performance of 6.6% for the year, while the funded ratio of the open pension plans stood at 107.8%. The revised Federal Personnel Act and PUBLICA Act are scheduled to come into force at the start of 2027. Preparations for this were a central element of activities last year. In responsible investment, PUBLICA maintained its tried-and-tested approaches.

The Rail Transport Commission RailCom is improving non-discriminatory access to transport infrastructure in several ways. In 2025 it issued two legally binding decisions; since 1 January 2026 it has been responsible for access to port infrastructure on the Rhine; and furthermore, it is actively working to improve access to infrastructure data in the rail sector. More information can be found in the RailCom 2025 activity report, published today.

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the occasion of the 2026 Swiss Press Award ceremony in Bern – Check against delivery

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) – Check against delivery

On 14 April, Dutch police arrested six individuals in the Netherlands following a joint investigation with Germany, France and Switzerland. A seventh suspect was also arrested in the Netherlands on 22 April. In the course of this same international investigation, two other suspects had already been arrested in December 2025. Those arrested are accused of carrying out explosive attacks on automated teller machines (ATMs) in Germany and Switzerland. The Federal Office of Police (fedpol) and the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, in close cooperation with the relevant cantonal police forces and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), played a decisive role in achieving this outcome.

On 14 April, Dutch police arrested six individuals in the Netherlands following a joint investigation with Germany, France and Switzerland. A seventh suspect was also arrested in the Netherlands on 22 April. In the course of this same international investigation, two other suspects had already been arrested in December 2025. Those arrested are accused of carrying out explosive attacks on automated teller machines (ATMs) in Germany and Switzerland. The Federal Office of Police (fedpol) and the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, in close cooperation with the relevant cantonal police forces and the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), played a decisive role in achieving this outcome.

Switzerland reaffirmed the strategic dimension of its relationship with Morocco, a key partner in North Africa, when the Moroccan foreign minister, Nasser Bourita, visited Bern and was received by federal councillors Ignazio Cassis and Beat Jans. Discussions centred on the two nations' increased cooperation on economic affairs and migration, shared commitments on climate change, and a convergence of views on regional issues, particularly in the Middle East and Western Sahara, within the multilateral framework of the UN.