News

The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) at the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) hosted the second international round table on underground banking in Bern on 20/21 November. Experts from around the world discussed new developments, positive investigation results and strategies for combating illicit financial flows.

The third meeting of the Swiss-British Joint Committee for Science and Innovation was held in London on 21 November 2025. The meeting was chaired by State Secretary Martina Hirayama and the British Director of International Research and Innovation, Adam Jackson, and served to assess and improve bilateral co-operation in research and innovation.

Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will represent the DDPS at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada from 21 to 23 November.

On 21 November 2025, the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) held the second roundtable on the topic of cash. Various issues relating to access to and acceptance of cash were discussed with representatives of the parties involved in the cash cycle. ‘The principles on adequate access to cash’ were also presented, along with initial thoughts on an initiative to optimise the access network throughout the Swiss financial centre. The aim of the cash roundtable is to debate with all stakeholders the changes observed in the cash cycle and their possible consequences.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have clarified how spermine – a small molecule that regulates many processes in the body's cells – can guard against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's: it renders certain proteins harmless by acting a bit like cheese on noodles, making them clump together. This discovery could help combat such diseases. The study has now been published in the journal Nature Communications.

On 21 November 2025, Switzerland and Cyprus signed a framework agreement in Nicosia on the implementation of a bilateral migration cooperation programme. The agreement forms part of Switzerland's second contribution to selected EU member states. A budget of CHF 10 million has been allocated to support projects in the areas of accommodation, voluntary return and integration.

Fifteen recruits completed training as First-Person View drone pilots, in order to be subsequently deployed with the troops in a field experiment. In this context, they used their skills to support the development of operational procedures for attack drones. The training in Thun and the following field experiment in Bure further developed the skills of the Swiss Armed Forces in the area of drones und took place within the context of the Taskforce Drones with the participation of the Swiss Armed Forces, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse as well as with external partners.

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

The health insurance premium index (KVPI) has registered an increase of 4.2% for premiums in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching an index level of 222.9 points (base year 1999=100). The KVPI can be used to estimate the effects of the evolution of premiums on the growth of disposable income. According to the Federal Statistical Office's KVPI model calculation, rising premiums curbed the growth of the average disposable income by 0.3 percentage points in 2025.

The head of the FDFA, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, was in Kigali on Thursday 20 November to attend the 46th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference. He also met with the Rwandan Prime Minister, Justin Nsengiyumva , Paul Kagame, and the foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe. During his visit, Mr Cassis presided over a ceremony to inaugurate the new Swiss embassy in Rwanda – a symbol of the strengthening of ties between the two countries. His visit to the region will continue on 21 November in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the occasion of the inauguration of the Swiss Embassy in the capital of Rwanda, Kigali – Check against delivery

The Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse has decided to issue the award for minidrone defence systems. After a four-week evaluation test (field experiment) for detecting and defending against minidrones to protect military infrastructures at the Meiringen aerodrome, armasuisse awarded the Swiss supplier Securiton the contract to deliver several defence systems. The systems are designed as partially mobile and can thus also be used in subsidiary operations of the Swiss Armed Forces for civil authorities.