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EAER Press releases
Diplomatic Corps excursion programme spotlights history and innovation
At the invitation of President Guy Parmelin, foreign ambassadors accredited to Switzerland travelled to the President’s home canton of Vaud on Friday, 1 May, for their annual outing. The programme took the party from Chillon Castle to the Genolier Innovation Hub.
President Parmelin attends European Political Community summit in Armenia and pays visit to Italy and the Holy See
President Guy Parmelin will represent Switzerland at the eighth summit of the European Political Community (EPC), which is to be held in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on 4 May. On 5 and 6 May, Mr Parmelin will meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome, hold talks at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV and attend the swearing-in ceremony of new recruits to the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Innosuisse and armasuisse launch a call for projects in the field of dual-use technologies
Through this initiative, Innosuisse and the Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse) aim to strengthen research, development and innovation in the fields of security and defence, whilst generating tangible benefits for the economy and civil society. The call for projects focuses on dual-use technologies, i.e. those that can be used in both civilian and security sectors. It contributes to the implementation of the armament policy strategy of the Federal Council and will be launched on 1 July 2026. The budget for this initiative amounts to CHF 20 million and will be shared between Innosuisse and armasuisse.
First-ever Swiss presidential visit to North Macedonia
On Wednesday, 29 April, President Guy Parmelin met with President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Speaker of Parliament Afrim Gashi, and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski in Skopje. The presidential visit was accompanied by an economic delegation and focused on bilateral relations, in particular on economic exchange and the international cooperation programme.
Sanctions : Ordinance on measures against individuals and groups associated with the Taliban
The UN sanctions committee has amended the list of sanctioned individuals, companies and organizations. The SESAM database has been updated accordingly. On 4 March 2016 the Federal Council has adopted the Ordinance on the automatic application of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists. Hence, the amendments of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists enter into force in Switzerland without delay.
State Secretary Martina Hirayama attends OECD Skills Summit in Istanbul
On 27 and 28 April, delegations from over 30 countries gathered in Istanbul for the OECD Skills Summit, held under the theme ‘Unlocking Talent Across Generations’. The summit focused in particular on the policy measures needed to adapt education systems to the skills required in the age of artificial intelligence, while promoting lifelong learning and inclusion.
Sanctions : Ordinance on measures against Sudan
The UN sanctions committee has amended the list of sanctioned individuals, companies and organizations. The SESAM database has been updated accordingly. On 4 March 2016 the Federal Council has adopted the Ordinance on the automatic application of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists. Hence, the amendments of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists enter into force in Switzerland without delay.
Near-infrared light activates nano-medication: Nanozymes against brain tumors
Brain tumors cannot always be successfully treated with conventional therapies. A team from Empa and the hospital network HOCH Health Ostschweiz is therefore developing nanozymes that can at-tack cancer cells directly in the brain during tumor surgery. The project can now be started thanks to the generous support of several foundations.
Switzerland and Serbia further deepen their longstanding good relations
During his visit to Serbia on Tuesday, 28 April, President Guy Parmelin met with President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Đuro Macut. The talks focused on bilateral relations, the situation in the Western Balkans, the introduction of a human rights dialogue, and international affairs. The presidential visit saw the signing of an agreement on an innovation programme and the launch of a new cooperation programme for the period up to 2029.
Doctorates in Switzerland: steady growth and favourable career prospects
Between 2010 and 2024, the number of doctoral students at Swiss higher education institutions increased by 29%. This increase is almost exclusively due to a rise in the number of doctoral students in the fields of medicine, technical sciences, and exact and natural sciences. The higher education institutions are able to cope with the increase in the number of doctoral students while guaranteeing them good employment conditions and high-quality supervision. Finally, with regard to the labour market, doctorate holders have lower unemployment rates and higher earnings than those with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
Switzerland launches new cooperation programme for Kosovo focusing on democracy and peace, the economy, and equitable development
In Pristina on 27 April 2026, the head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Patricia Danzi, presented Switzerland's new cooperation programme for Kosovo. The CHF 64.5 million programme will run from 2026 to 2029 and will focus on democratic governance, economic development and equitable human development. It will be implemented by the SDC and the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) of the FDFA, and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research.
President Parmelin to travel to Serbia and North Macedonia
President Guy Parmelin will travel to Serbia and North Macedonia next week. The visit to Belgrade on Tuesday, 28 April, following an invitation from Serbia to pay a state visit, will mark the 110th anniversary of bilateral relations between Switzerland and Serbia. The new cooperation programme will also be launched in Belgrade. The first-ever Swiss presidential visit to North Macedonia will take place on 29 April. This highlights the increasingly close ties between the two countries. The president will be accompanied on his visit by a high-level economic delegation.
Switzerland to showcase innovation and excellence at Expo 2030 in Saudi Arabia
On 15 April, the Federal Council reached a decision to participate in Expo 2030 Riyadh – an opportunity to promote Swiss interests and raise the country’s profile on the global stage. The Swiss pavilion will position the country as a trustworthy and high-performing partner in business, innovation and global governance. The Federal Council has tasked the FDFA with submitting a dispatch to Parliament in the first quarter of 2027, seeking approval for the necessary commitment appropriation. During his visit to Saudi Arabia on 23 April 2026, President Guy Parmelin officially informed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Federal Council’s decision.
Signing of an investment protection agreement with Saudi Arabia
On 23 April, President Guy Parmelin and Saudi Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif signed an investment protection agreement between Switzerland and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
President Guy Parmelin pays visit to Saudi Arabia
President Guy Parmelin travelled to Jeddah on 22 and 23 April for a presidential visit marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. He held bilateral talks with His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and with the Minister of Investment, Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif. Meetings were also held with representatives from the business community.
Setting boundaries: High-performance ceramics through improved grain boundaries
Ceramic materials are highly versatile and are used in numerous fields, including medicine, mechanical engineering, and electronics. To further improve them and specifically control and tune their properties, Empa researchers are not only taking a close look at the raw materials and manufacturing processes, but also at their microscopic structure. In an SNSF-funded research project, they are investigating so-called grain boundaries.
Empa Annual Report 2025: Agility for the research of the future
How does research turn into innovation? Empa provides the answers in its recently published 2025 Annual Report. In it, researchers demonstrate how their work leads to concrete solutions: For example, they are investigating whether nanoparticles can fight cancer and examining how concrete can contribute to climate protection. They are making batteries from fungi. And they are using AI to manage power grids more efficiently. The Empa Annual Report highlights these developments – this year, for the first time, entirely in digital form.
Research project “H2 districts” successfully completed: How hydrogen fuel cells support the power grid
Hydrogen fuel cells are fundamentally suitable for supporting power grids in district energy systems during peak load periods and for integrating hydrogen into building services systems. This is shown by a research project carried out by Empa, the Hälg Group, the Osterwalder Group, and H2 Energy AG. The project also focused on reducing CO2 emissions through the use of environmentally friendly hydrogen.
Investment protection agreement signed with Bahrain
On 17 April, Swiss president Guy Parmelin and Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, signed an investment protection agreement between Switzerland and Bahrain on the fringes of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF in Washington.
Domestic biomethane can make Switzerland more independent
By using biomass intelligently, Switzerland could meet a substantial percentage of its own gas needs. This is the conclusion reached by a study led by the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI. Gas imports could be significantly reduced as a result, making Switzerland less dependent on the global market. The study was commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) and published at the beginning of this year.