News

On 30 July 2026 in Vienna, Switzerland and Austria signed a protocol amending the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation (DTA) with respect to taxes on income and capital. The protocol implements the minimum standards set out in the agreement for double taxation and makes specific adjustments to the DTA to bring it into line with the changing needs of the contracting states since the last revision, which was carried out under the 2009 protocol of amendment.

In the 2nd quarter 2026, the Swiss Residential Property Price Index (IMPI) increased by 0.7% compared with the previous quarter to stand at 127.7 points (4th quarter 2019 = 100). Across Switzerland, single-family house prices fell (–0.4%), while condominium prices rose (+1.6%). The biggest rise in residential property prices was observed in urban municipalities of a small or outside agglomeration (+1.8%), while price stability was recorded in rural municipalities. Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, total inflation stood at +3.5%. These are some of the results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

For decades, a theory in physics has postulated the existence of a mirror world whose interaction with our own reality is extremely feeble. The particles in this mirror universe are also thought to be candidates for dark matter. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now examined some 25 billion neutrons – thereby ruling out, with a very high degree of certainty, their disappearance into the mirror world.

To transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, we need to build new infrastructure. Empa researchers show that obsolete fossil fuel infrastructure – such as coal mines, oil and gas platforms, fossil fuel power plants, and pipelines – can provide some of the raw materials needed for the energy transition. In particular, recycling copper and steel would make the energy transition more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

From 26 to 29 July, Chief of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Benedikt Roos will visit the US state of Colorado. He will attend a State Partnership Program (SPP) ceremony in Denver. The ceremony will be attended by Colorado Governor Jared Polis and the Commander of the Colorado National Guard, Major General Robert B. Davis.

Switzerland is supporting France in tackling the severe forest fires. At the request of the French civil protection authorities, Switzerland is expected to make two Super Puma helicopters and their crews available for a firefighting operation. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) at the FDFA and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport to coordinate this support.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a new Ebola epidemic that began in May of this year. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has decided to contribute an additional CHF 1.6 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support efforts to combat the spread of the virus in the DRC and the wider region.

Researchers and authorities from across Europe are collaborating on the major EU project PARC to further develop the risk assessment of chemicals. Researchers at Empa in St. Gallen are participating in the sub-task Safe and Sustainable by Design and are developing methods that can be used to assess the safety and sustainability of new chemicals right from their initial development stages.

Swiss timber harvests totalled just under 4.9 million cubic metres in 2025, 1.1 per cent higher than the previous year. There was a slight decrease in the sawlog and industrial roundwood harvests, while the amount of fuel wood harvested continued to increase. The wood chip share of the total harvest – now 30% – has been growing for years. This means that the share of fuel wood in the total timber harvest has doubled in the last 20 years, as shown by the latest Forestry Statistics published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Several types of cancer are triggered by mutations in a protein called BRAF. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have resolved a previously unknown conformation adopted by this protein during cell proliferation. Their study, which has now been published in the journal Molecular Cell, opens new avenues for cancer treatment.

On 21 July, Martina Hirayama, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, travelled to Dublin to attend the informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for research and innovation. Held under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the meeting focused on how Europe can optimally leverage research and innovation to improve European competitiveness.

In 2025, investments in construction increased by 3.5% in nominal terms compared with the previous year. Investments in both building construction (+3.6%) and civil engineering (+3.2) saw an increase. Investments in new construction projects went up by 3.4%, while investments in renovation projects rose by 3.5%. These are the provisional findings from the Construction Statistics of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).