News

On 18–19 March 2026, the 345th Council meeting at delegate level of the European Space Agency (ESA) took place in Interlaken. Renato Krpoun, head of the Swiss Space Office at the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), currently holds the chair of the ESA Council at delegate level. The Council is meeting in Switzerland as Renato Krpoun's three-year term of office is soon coming to an end.

The participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) today reached consensus on the Organization’s Budget for 2026, ensuring the continued implementation of its comprehensive security mandate. This ends a five-year stalemate since the last approved budget in 2021. The adoption of the budget confirms that the OSCE remains an important platform for dialogue, even in times of heightened tensions. This decision therefore also contributes to the implementation of a key priority of the Swiss Chairpersonship – ensuring the OSCE’s ability to act.

The Financial Statistics Section of the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) publishes forecasts for the public finances (Confederation, cantons, municipalities and social security funds) twice a year. The new forecasts cover the period up to 2029.

From off to on in fractions of a second – researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have investigated a light-switchable drug for high blood pressure: They observed how the molecule transforms from one form to another and how this affects its effectiveness in the body. This could aid in the development of medications whose effects can be precisely controlled, within the body, using light. The study has now been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will visit Angola, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso from 23 to 27 March 2026. In Angola, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire, the focus will be on trade, economic relations and scientific cooperation, while the trip to Burkina Faso will centre on international cooperation, humanitarian aid and the security situation in the Sahel region.

What usually ends up in the incinerator today could protect houses from fire tomorrow. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have found a way to press sawdust with a mineral binder to create a robust, flame-retardant material that is even recyclable.

The brochure issued by the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) provides at a glance information on the budgets of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, as well as an international comparison.

The Federal Government Expert Group on Business Cycles has revised slightly downwards its forecast for economic growth in Switzerland. For 2026, it forecasts below-average growth of 1.0%, followed by 1.7% in 2027 (forecast from December 2025: 1.1% and 1.7% respectively). The war in the Middle East is driving up energy prices and further increasing uncertainty.

The Steering Committee on Energy Security met on 17 March, co-chaired by the head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), President Guy Parmelin, and the head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), Federal Councillor Albert Rösti. The specialist committee confirms that Switzerland’s energy supply is currently secure.

One cessation and one new factual report (aviation) are available on the website of the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB):

During the first Swiss Research and Innovation Summit held on 17 March 2026 in Bern, experts from the scientific community, politics, administration, the business community and civil society discussed the role scientific expertise plays in politics and society. The purpose of this event was to promote and strengthen an understanding of the need for scientific consultation and mutual dialogue between the scientific community and society as a whole.

Instead of using more and more concrete and steel, a European research team including Empa is focusing on intelligent shapes, digital manufacturing, and alternative binders. The aim is to create a climate-friendly building material that is delicate yet stable – and can be custom-made using 3D printing, dismantled, and reused.