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FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel was in Luxembourg on 13 and 14 May, representing Switzerland at the 134th session of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers. The discussions, which were chaired by Luxembourg, focused on the Council of Europe's response to the war against Ukraine and democratic backsliding.

The Federal Council decided on 14 May 2025 that Switzerland will adopt the measures in the European Union’s 16th package of sanctions against Russia, with effect from 15 May 2025. 48 individuals, 35 entities and 74 vessels were already added to the Swiss sanctions list against Russia on 4 March. The Federal Council is also extending Swiss sanctions against Belarus.

At its meeting on 14 May 2025, the Federal Council decided to give members of the Federal Assembly access, upon request, to the texts of the agreements negotiated with the EU. In making this decision, it is responding to the exceptionally high level of interest shown by Parliament in the Swiss–EU dossier. The Federal Council intends to make a decision before the summer recess on launching the consultation procedure. In this context, the texts of the agreements, applicable implementing legislation, and accompanying national measures will be published in three official languages, as previously planned.

The Swiss Confederation issued a bond by auction on 14.05.2025: 0.50%, maturity 28.05.2040 (new bond. The issuance volume (excluding own holdings) amounts to a total of 302.700 million francs.

During its meeting on 14 May 2025, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the international automatic exchange of information on salary data. The Federal Council is thus laying the legal foundations for implementing the exchange of information set down in agreements with France and Italy.

At its meeting on 14 May the Federal Council took note of the first implementation report on the National Cyberstrategy (NCS). The report outlines the status of national efforts to strengthen cybersecurity. It was prepared by the NCS Steering Committee in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The report clearly shows that progress has been made: key coordination structures have been established, ongoing projects implemented and new ones launched, and Switzerland’s international profile in the field of cybersecurity has been raised.

At its meeting on 14 May 2025, the Federal Council took note of the ninth annual report on the implementation of the Federal Act on Private Security Services Provided Abroad (PSSA). In 2024, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) received 111 declarations from companies. No activities were prohibited.

In the future, it will be easier to destroy counterfeit products entering Switzerland in small consignments. The Federal Council adopted the Ordinance to the Federal Act on the Introduction of a Simplified Procedure for Destroying Small Consignments in Intellectual Property Law at its meeting on 14 May 2025. The new legal bases will come into force on 1 July 2025.

On 14 May, the Federal Council elected Anja Isabella König, Global Head of the Novartis Venture Fund, as a member of the Innosuisse Board. She will take up her role on 1 June.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have developed an AI that could open up a new, cost-effective approach to identifying genetic perturbation patterns in cell images – potentially enabling the development of new drugs.

Switzerland hosted the second edition of the Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building (GC3B) between 13 and 14 May. The conference focused on the secure use of new digital technologies in development cooperation work, especially in the Global South. International Geneva served as a platform to bring together stakeholders from the cybersecurity and digital development sectors. The GC3B was also a key event of the inaugural Geneva Cyber Week.

On 12 May 2025 the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER has amended annex 1 of the ordinance on measures against Myanmar. The entries concerning 14 individuals have been modified. The measures come into force on 14 May 2025.