News

This coming Friday, 9 January, will be dedicated nationwide to remembering the victims of the tragic fire in Crans-Montana, showing solidarity with the injured and expressing sympathy for all those affected. On this day of mourning, President Guy Parmelin, together with Switzerland’s official religious communities, invites people across the country to observe a minute's silence and a moment of reflection. Church bells will ring throughout the country. A memorial service will take place in Martigny in the canton of Valais.

Three Swiss deep-tech startups originating from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, are heading to CES 2026 in Las Vegas, showcasing how Swiss engineering is translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world hardware innovation on a global stage in the areas of energy storage, photovoltaics and cooling technologies for power computing.

In collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the University of Bern, Empa researchers have investigated how trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the smallest of the PFAS molecules, is formed in the atmosphere and enters water bodies via precipitation. The study combined a three-year measurement period with archived water samples from recent decades and a detailed atmospheric model. The result: The release of this chemical into the environment has multiplied in recent decades – and will continue to increase in the future.

On 5 January 2026, the Federal Council decided to freeze any assets held in Switzerland by Nicolás Maduro and other persons associated with him with immediate effect. In doing so, the Federal Council aims to prevent an outflow of assets. The asset freeze does not affect members of the current Venezuelan government. Should future legal proceedings reveal that the funds were illicitly acquired, Switzerland will endeavour to ensure that they benefit the Venezuelan people. The asset freeze is in addition to the sanctions against Venezuela that have been in place since 2018 under the Embargo Act.

You could be interested by new pages which have been published on the OFCOM website between 15.12.2025 and 31.12.2025.

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

Allocution de M. le Président de la Confédération Guy Parmelin

The Federal Tax Administration has updated the course listings and bonus shares 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Two cessations and one new factual report (aviation) are available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB).

The Federal Council approved a partial revision of the Postal Services Ordinance at its meeting on 19 December. Swiss Post is to gain more flexibility in the delivery of letters and parcels as the universal service will be supplemented by the provision of digital letters.

At its meeting on 19 December 2025, the Federal Council adopted its first Consular Strategy 2026–29. In a world undergoing profound change, marked by the return of war to Europe, the erosion of the multilateral order and the fragmentation of alliances, consular action is taking on new importance. Whether it be assistance for Swiss nationals, administrative services or visa processing, consular action remains a key lever of Switzerland's presence abroad. By adopting its Consular Strategy the Federal Council aims to provide a coherent, structured and forward-looking response to the challenges facing this area of Swiss foreign policy and continue to offer Swiss citizens simple, easily accessible and reliable administrative services.

Switzerland and NATO have defined the objectives of their cooperation for the period from 2025 to 2028. The Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP) is drawn up within the framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP), in which Switzerland has been participating since 1996. The agreed activities are in line with the Federal Council's intention to intensify international cooperation in security policy.