News

Between 4 and 6 November 2026, the OSCE chairman-in-office, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, visited the OSCE missions in Belgrade, Pristina and Skopje. There, he met with the heads of mission and staff to gain an insight into their work on the ground and to reaffirm the OSCE’s commitment to the region.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visited Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia from 4 to 6 November 2026. The trip focused on bilateral relations, economic perspectives and the promotion of peace, stability and security in the Western Balkans. In his capacity as chairman-in-office of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Mr Cassis also visited the OSCE missions in Belgrade, Pristina and Skopje.

On Thursday 12 November, President Guy Parmelin will attend the ninth summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Dublin. He will also represent Switzerland as host of the tenth EPC summit, which will be held in Zurich in April 2027.

In October 2026 the consumer sentiment index stood at –45 points. This is 8 points lower than in October 2025. The following sub-indices are lower than in October 2025: past financial situation, financial outlook and moment to make major purchases. The following sub-index has barely changed compared to October 2025: economic outlook.

The protocol of amendment to the double taxation agreement (DTA) between Switzerland and North Macedonia has entered into force. The changes will apply from 1 January 2027.

The protocol of amendment to the double taxation agreement (DTA) between Switzerland and Croatia has entered into force. The changes will apply from 1 January 2027.

In 2024, growth among Swiss SMEs slowed. The SME workforce grew at half the rate of that of large enterprises. SMEs nevertheless remain of crucial importance to the economy, providing over 3.2 million jobs, and the share of women in these jobs continues to rise. The majority of SMEs are independently owned. However, when they form part of a group – particularly a multinational one – they demonstrate greater momentum and play a key role in international trade. These are some of the findings from the publication Portrait of Swiss SMEs by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

In response to the threat of a winter electricity shortage, the Confederation gradually established a winter reserve from 2022 onwards. To secure this electricity reserve between 2030 and 2045, the Confederation plans to provide generation capacity from four reserve power plants at a cost of CHF 2.3 billion. Parliament is expected to consider the matter during the 2026 autumn session. The winter reserve is financed by consumers through a surcharge on electricity tariffs. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) conducted its audit at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) and Swissgrid. It assessed the decision-making process for determining the need for the electricity reserve, the economic efficiency of the selection and sizing of the individual reserve types, and the procurement process for the new reserve power plants. Overall, the procurement of reserve capacity was economically efficient. However, significant savings potential remained untapped in the selection and sizing of the individual reserve types.

Effective since 1 April 2025, critical infrastructure operators must report cyberattacks to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) within 24 hours. For this purpose, the NCSC uses the Cyber Security Hub (CSH) online platform, via which reportable incidents and up-to-date threat and vulnerability data can be exchanged. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) conducted an audit to determine whether the NCSC has a robust cyber reporting platform, both technically and organisationally, and sufficient staffing to perform its statutory tasks in connection with the reporting obligation. It concluded that CSH enables efficient report processing and that the staffing of the incident management team is sufficient.

On 4 November, the Federal Council decided to adopt the measures from the European Union’s 21st package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The EAER expanded and updated the sanctions lists relating to Russia and Belarus on 3 November. Switzerland is therefore adopting the amendments made by the EU as part of the 21st package of sanctions and other decisions. The amendments to the sanctions lists will come into effect at 11pm on 4 November, while the sectoral measures will come into force on 5 November.

A new notification of cessation of the investigation (aviation) is available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB).

In light of the current threat landscape, the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection, and Sports (DDPS) is placing a strategic focus on drones, drone defense, and robotics. Through the Center for Unmanned Systems, the DDPS aims to work with the scientific community and industry to develop, test, and integrate new technologies into the armed forces more quickly. A new drone battalion and a dedicated drone recruit school will strengthen military capabilities and training. At the same time, the DDPS is investing in drones and systems to counter them, and is aligning its procurement strategy with rapid technological developments. In addition, the legal framework and areas of responsibility are being adapted to the threat landscape.