News

Thirty years after joining the International Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF), Switzerland has reaffirmed its commitment to the organisation at a time of increasing geopolitical polarisation and financial constraints. At a meeting in Bern with the secretary general of the IOF, Louise Mushikiwabo, federal councillors Ignazio Cassis and Elisabeth Baume-Schneider stressed the need to support a useful and effective IOF, while continuing to invest in diversity in language and culture. In particular, they stressed the importance of language learning as a vector for dialogue and mutual understanding, and highlighted the challenges of digital governance.

In 2025, Swiss Post had ensured that at least 96.1% of the population in all cantons had access to payment services, thereby significantly exceeding the legal threshold of 90%. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) concludes that Swiss Post has fully complied with its universal service mandate regarding payment transactions.

Today, the Swiss Science Council SSC published its evaluation report on Innosuisse’s funding portfolio. The evaluation concludes that Innosuisse fulfils its statutory mandate and has a coherent funding portfolio. At the same time, the SSC identifies potential for targeted further development – amongst others in the involvement of implementation partners and in access to risk and equity capital.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.2% in May 2026 compared with the previous month, reaching 101.3 points (December 2025 = 100). Inflation was +0.6% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Safe and sustainable from the outset – how exactly would you ensure that? Empa researchers are applying the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework to the 2D material graphene. This is not just a matter of understanding the risks that graphene poses to humans and the environment. The focus is also on the SSbD framework itself and its applicability in practice.

Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the FMH – Check against delivery

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

Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will travel to Egypt from 3 to 4 June. The purpose of the official trip is to visit the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), an international organisation based in Sharm El-Sheikh. Switzerland has provided funding to the MFO since 1995, thereby contributing to stability in the Sinai and upholding of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty.

The Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) has further developed the QuickZoll application. Travellers can now pay Value Added Tax (VAT) for purchases made outside Switzerland at both applicable rates: the standard rate (8.1 %) and the reduced rate (2.6 %).

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin, will lead the Swiss delegation at the next Meeting of the Council at Ministerial Level of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to be held in Paris on 3 and 4 June 2026. This meeting, themed “Getting industrial policies right for open markets, growth and prosperity”, will offer ministers the opportunity, at a time of geopolitical tensions, to discuss industrial policy, its implications and risks, as well as the OECD’s strategic directions.

On 1 June 2026, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER has amended annex 1 of the ordinance on measures against Myanmar. One individual has been removed from the annex and 42 entries have been amended. The measures come into force on 2 June 2026 at 11 p.m.

You could be interested by new pages which have been published on the OFCOM website between 01.05.2026 and 31.05.2026.