Natural and man-made disasters are occurring with increasing frequency. To alleviate suffering, preparedness is becoming ever more important. Switzerland is currently hosting, from 19 to 23 May 2012, the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva. The President of the Confederation, Ueli Maurer, opened the conference. It is being chaired by the director-general of the SDC, Martin Dahinden. About 2,500 specialists from around the world have travelled to Geneva for the event, which is organised by UNISDR, the United Nations agency for disaster risk reduction. The main aims of the conference are to strengthen disaster risk reduction in development aid and to consider future policy following the expiry of the Hyogo Framework for Action in 2015.

(FSO) - A partial revision of the Ordinance on the Conduct of Statistical Surveys by the Confederation is currently being prepared. In addition to amendments taking account of new EU legislation, the implementation provisions in Article 14a of the Federal Statistics Act (BstatG) in particular are being revised. The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) will be consulting affected and interested parties until mid-June 2013 on the draught Ordinance and explanations.

geo.admin.ch, the geoportal of the Swiss Confederation received on Mai 16th 2013 at Geospatial World Forum 2013 in Rotterdam the «Geospatial Policy Implementation Award». The distinction is issued by the Geospatial World Magazine and recognizes policy implementations which directly impacts development of geospatial science, technology and business.

The Federal Finance Administration (FFA) has for the first time published an app for tablets. The app gives an overview of federal finances and is available free of charge.

Neonicotinoid insecticides have adverse effects not only on bees but also on freshwater invertebrates. Exposure to low but constant concentrations of these substances – which are highly soluble in water – has lethal effects on these aquatic organisms.

(FSO) - According to the latest results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 12,008 new bankruptcies were registered in Switzerland in 2012. In comparison with the previous year this represents an increase of 935 cases (+8.4%). Losses from completed bankruptcy proceedings rose during the same period by 4.4% to CHF 2.2 billion.

During its meeting today, the Federal Council adopted the implementation plan for the national strategy for the protection of Switzerland against cyber risks (NCS). The measures decided upon are designed to strengthen prevention as well as continuity and crisis management. There is also an associated enhancement of cyber expertise at the Federal Administration in terms of personnel. The Federal Council has appointed an interdepartmental NCS steering committee to coordinate matters.

(FSO) - The Producer and Import Price Index calculated by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) rose in April 2013 by 0.2% compared with the previous month. In particular, watches and machinery showed rising prices, whereas metals and semi-finished products in metal were sold at lower prices. The index stands at 98.6 points (base December 2010 = 100). The price level of the whole range of domestic and imported products fell slightly by 0.1% year on year.

The Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina will make a four-day working visit to Switzerland from 14 to 17 May 2013. It will get to know Switzerland's federal model as an inspiration for constitutional reform and the future-oriented political development of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The number of suspicious activity reports (SARs) submitted to the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) in 2012 remained high, at 1,585 reports. Once again, the total asset value of these reports surpassed CHF 3 billion. Although the proportion of SARs forwarded to law enforcement agencies fell over 2011, it remained at the high level of 86 per cent.