Press information
EAER Press releases
The Secretariat of COMCO launches preliminary investigation into NFC access on Apple devices
Swiss app providers have access to the NFC & SE platform on iOS devices. The Secretariat of the Swiss Competition Commission is investigating whether Apple’s terms and conditions for granting access could raise competition law concerns.
Empa Young Scientist Fellowship: Calculating quantum effects in carbon molecules
Modern materials science combines lab experiments with mathematical modeling. However, when it comes to novel quantum materials such as two-dimensional nanographene, existing models reach their limits. Empa researcher Goncalo Catarina wants to develop a reliable model for these quantum molecules. To this end, he has been awarded the two-year Empa Young Scientist Fellowship.
Sanctions: Ordinance on Economic Measures against the Republic of Iraq
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.Reduction in US additional tariffs to enter into force retroactively
The US is applying a tariff ceiling of 15% on imports from Switzerland. This applies retroactively from 14 November 2025. In return, Switzerland will reduce import tariffs on certain fish and agricultural products from the USA. The basis for this is the joint statement published on 14 November between Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the USA.
ALLOCUTION DEVANT L’ASSEMBLÉE FÉDÉRALE
Discours de M. le Conseiller fédéral Guy Parmelin, Chef du Département fédéral de l’économie, de la formation et de la recherche (DEFR) à l’occasion de l’élection à la présidence de la Confédération 2026
Laser draws made-to-order magnetic landscapes
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, have for the first time succeeded in using existing laser technology to continuously vary the magnetic properties of two-dimensional materials. This simple and fast method should make a large number of applications possible, including techniques for data storage and processing.
How microtubules take part in cellular signal processing
Microtubules perform an active role in communication within the cell by transmitting received signals to the cell's functional units. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel have now, for the first time, structurally elucidated how these protein strands of the cytoskeleton accomplish this. Their findings could help make it possible to intervene in this communication and, for example, prevent tumour growth. The study was published in the scientific journal Cell.
Research Libraries as Data Hubs – New Report from the Swiss Science Council SSC
Reliable knowledge is an essential public good for science and the future prosperity of our society. Research libraries play a central role here. How can these infrastructures be strengthened in the face of current developments in the fields of automation, big data, and artificial intelligence?
SECO: Ordinance instituting measures in relation to Sudan
On 8 December 2025 the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER has amended annex 2 of the ordinance instituting measures in relation to Sudan. One natural person was newly added to the annex. Technical corrections were made to two entries. The measures come into force on 9 December 2025 at 23:00.
ICOS Cities project completed: Novel approaches for determining a city‘s CO₂ emissions
To date, CO₂ emissions in urban areas were typically monitored using emissions inventories. In the city of Zurich, they can now also be determined reliably based on atmospheric measurements. As part of the Europe-wide research project ICOS Cities, Empa researchers tested this new approach and achieved results that were very close to the values calculated beforehand.
Optimising the treatment of eye tumours
The Insel Group and the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI are expanding their collaboration to provide faster and better coordinated access to proton therapy for patients with eye tumours. The two institutions have signed a new cooperation agreement, creating an integrated patient pathway that offers patients medically coordinated, high-precision treatment and improves the long-term quality of the care they receive.
Consumer sentiment higher than a year ago
In November 2025 the consumer sentiment index stood at –34 points. This is 3 points higher than in November 2024. The following sub-indices were higher than in November 2024: past financial situation, financial outlook and moment to make major purchases. The following sub-index is lower than a year ago: economic outlook.
Home moves remain at a record low
In 2024, 9.3% of the Swiss population moved home, the same as in 2023 (9.3%). Young adults were still the persons who changed accommodation most often. Occupants of single-family houses moved less often than occupants of multi-dwelling housing. The average moving distance was 13.4 km. These are some of the results of the Moving Statistics compiled by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Draft negotiating mandate for a trade agreement with the USA
On 5 December, the Federal Council approved a draft negotiating mandate for a trade agreement with the USA. The parliamentary foreign affairs committees and the cantons will now be consulted on the draft. The main aim of the upcoming negotiations is to consolidate the tariff relief for Swiss goods imported into the USA; this tariff relief was reached as part of the joint statement of 14 November.
Agreement with the United Kingdom on mutual recognition of conformity assessments extended
On 5 December, the Federal Council extended the agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom on the mutual recognition of conformity assessments. At the same time, three further product sectors from the trade agreement were incorporated. This maintains facilitated market access, meaning that additional product testing by a British conformity assessment body is still not necessary when exporting to the United Kingdom.
In 2025, for the first time, the ETH Board appointed more women than men to professorships
The ETH Board was gratified to note that more than half of the newly appointed professors were women. This means that the two Federal Institutes of Technology are on course to achieve the long-term goal of increasing the proportion of women professors. At its meeting of 3/4 December 2025, the ETH Board discussed the next steps of the organisational development project “FIT for the Future”. In addition, it bade farewell to its long-standing member Susan Gasser at the end of her term of office, and to Peter Allenspach, a member of the PSI Board of Directors.
18 new professors appointed at ETH Zurich and EPFL
At its meeting of 3/4 December 2025 and upon application of the President of ETH Zurich, Professor Joël Mesot, and the President of EPFL, Professor Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, the ETH Board appointed a total of seven women and eleven men as professors and awarded the title of professor to seven individuals. It also took note of the resignations of nine professors (two women and seven men) and thanked them for their services. In the last 12 months, the ETH Board has made a total of 28 new appointments for women and 24 for men; the proportion of women among these new appointments thus amounts to 54%.
Inductive charging for electric vehicles Fast and easy charging of electric cars without cables
Automatic charging instead of plugging in cables: In a cooperative project, Empa researchers investigated inductive charging of electric cars. This is not only similarly efficient to cable-based charging, but could also simplify the integration of vehicle batteries as flexible storage devices into the electricity grid. The first cars in Switzerland to be converted for inductive charging have already been approved for road use.
X-rays bring high-resolution brain mapping within reach
Scientists at the Swiss Light Source SLS have succeeded in mapping a piece of brain tissue in 3D at unprecedented resolution using X-rays – non-destructively. The breakthrough overcomes a long-standing technological barrier that had limited the use of X-rays for such studies. With the SLS upgrade now complete, the path lies open to imaging much larger samples of brain tissue at high resolution – and to gaining new understanding of its complex architecture. The study, a collaboration between Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, is published in Nature Methods.
State Secretary Martina Hirayama on science mission to U.S.
From 1 to 5 December, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation Martina Hirayama will undertake a science mission to San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Boston. The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the excellent relations between Switzerland and the United States in education, research and innovation and to explore opportunities for future cooperation. The trip will also provide a platform for exchanging views on cooperation on vocational education and training and apprenticeships.