News

During its meeting on 14 October 2026, the Federal Council was informed about the third national report on the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. Switzerland's risk exposure in this area remains stable. The greatest threats stem from organised crime, corruption, and property and tax crime.

On 14 October, the Federal Council launched the consultation process on the plurilateral Agreement on Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce Agreement, ECA). The ECA establishes a common regulatory framework for digital trade among 67 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and enhances legal certainty for businesses. The consultation procedure will run until 28 January 2027.

A new final report (aviation) is available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board STSB.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have been examining the cladding tubes of nuclear reactor fuel rods using a new 3D imaging technique. They were able to determine with extremely high precision how the quality of the cladding changes over time as a result of corrosion and radiation exposure. The oxide layer on the tubes proved to retain its density even after years in operation. The new method allows this to be checked in great detail.

On 13 October 2026, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER updated the authorisation form for money transfers pursuant to Art. 21 of the Ordinance on Measures against the Islamic Republic of Iran. As of today, only the updated form will be accepted. The form can be accessed here.

On 14 and 15 October 2026, the sixth summit of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) will take place in Geneva. GESDA was founded by the Swiss Confederation in collaboration with the Canton of Geneva and the City of Geneva. The summit will bring together over 1,000 representatives from science, diplomacy, politics, the private sector and philanthropy. The aim is to identify scientific and technological breakthroughs in the areas of people, machines, life, the planet and society at an early stage and to promote international dialogue on their implications for society. State Secretary Alexandre Fasel will represent the FDFA at the summit.

Chalcogenides are versatile materials that are the subject of active research for solar cells, photodetectors and other light and energy conversion applications. Researchers at Empa’s Transport at Nanoscale Interfaces laboratory have for the first time successfully measured chalcogenide perovskites' light-emission efficiency, showing that they are much more efficient at emitting light than expected. The researchers are also exploring promising superconducting and quantum properties in a needle-like form of the material that was previously considered an undesirable byproduct.

The Swiss Confederation is offering two bonds on a public tender system on 14.10.2026: 0%, maturity 22.06.2029 (reopening) and 0.25%, maturity 23.06.2035 (reopening).

A plant protection product (PPP) must be authorised before it can be used in Switzerland. Five federal units from three departments are responsible for the authorisation procedure. The Federal Office for Agriculture, Agroscope, the Federal Office for the Environment, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), led by the FSVO Authorisation Office, assess various aspects of PPP efficacy and risk. At the end of 2025, the Swiss authorisation procedure was further aligned with that of the European Union.The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) examined whether the authorisation procedures are conducted efficiently and whether the fees sufficiently cover the costs incurred. The audit identified areas for improvement: structures and processes are too complex, the resulting backlog is too high and fees are too low.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine honours optogenetics – a biotechnological method through which light can be used to selectively control processes in cells. At the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, researchers are working to extend this principle beyond nerve cells to other cell types and organs. This could lead to a new generation of optogenetic tools – even to the point of being able to control biological processes with light instead of drugs in the future.

On 12 and 13 October 2026, senior representatives from politics, the armed forces, business and academia will gather at the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF) to discuss current security policy developments. Switzerland will be represented by Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, and Major General Daniel Keller, Chief of Armed Forces Staff. On the sidelines of the WSF, State Secretary Markus Mäder will also meet Poland's Secretary of State in the Ministry of National Defence, Paweł Zalewski, for a dialogue on security policy cooperation between the two countries.

As part of EU Cyber Week, European cybersecurity directors met in Dublin on 8 October to discuss current challenges in cyberspace. The focus was on the use of AI in cybersecurity. NCSC Director Florian Schütz took part in a panel discussion on digital sovereignty and supply chain resilience. Mr Schutz will be continuing his international engagements this week at Singapore International Cyber Week, where he will be exploring issues relating to the security of autonomous AI systems.