News

Guy Parmelin, président de la Confédération, Chef du Département fédéral de l’économie, de la formation et de la recherche (DEFR).Davos, 20 janvier 2026

Anyone who has ever had to get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan knows that magnetic and highly conductive materials are a no-go in the tube-shaped scanners. However, for complex diagnoses and medical research, this imaging technique often needs to be combined with other methods that require conductive cables. As part of an Innosuisse project with the Swiss company TI Solutions, researchers at Empa have developed polymer-based cables that function safely and reliably in MRI machines.

The Producer and Import Price Index fell in December 2025 by 0.2% compared with the previous month, reaching 104.3 points (December 2020 = 100). Compared with December 2024, the price level of the whole range of domestic and imported products fell by 1.8%. Average annual inflation stood at –1.0% in 2025. These are the results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The Federal Tax Administration has updated the course listings and bonus shares 2025.

Energy systems face complicated, long-term challenges with a high degree of uncertainty – and every country’s is different. To explore these challenges and support decision-making, the STEM energy systems model from the Energy Economics Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has become an essential tool for guiding the energy transition in Switzerland.

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

Referat von Bundespräsident Guy Parmelin Vorsteher des Eidgenössischen Departements für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung, anlässlich der 38. Albisgüetli-Tagung.Zürich, Freitag, 16. Januar 2026

On 14 and 15 January 2026, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse held a workshop on technologies for military deception together with the NATO Science and Technology Organisation (STO). More than 90 national and international experts from science, industry and defence discussed the current technological status as well as future challenges.

The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) takes place in Davos next week, with four members of the Federal Council in attendance. President Guy Parmelin will open proceedings on Tuesday, 20 January, alongside the two interim co-chairs of the Board of Trustees, André Hoffmann and Larry Fink, and WEF President and CEO Børge Brende.

National Armaments Director Urs Loher will meet with the Danish Armaments Director Lieutenant-General Kim J. Jørgensen for bilateral talks from 15 to 16 January 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The exchange will focus on current security and arms policy topics as well as possible cooperations in the armaments area. In addition, the bilateral agreement on the mutual recognition of official quality controls between Switzerland and Denmark will be signed.

This year, with Florian Schütz participating in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is using this international platform to further engage with political, economic, and expert stakeholders on critical cybersecurity matters. To this end, the NCSC is organising a specialist event at the WEF Annual Meeting focusing on geopolitical developments, leadership roles in key technologies, and digital sovereignty. As in previous years, the NCSC is also supporting the WEF organisation in protecting cyberspace.

On 1 January 2026, Switzerland assumed the rotating presidency of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR). The CCNR defines the international regulations for free navigation on the Rhine and thus ensures, among other things, that ships can travel from Basel to Rotterdam or Antwerp or from there to Basel without restrictions or fees. Access to the largest European seaports, which is guaranteed under international law, is important for Switzerland's security of supply. In particular, the Swiss presidency will advocate the digitalisation, sustainability and safety of the critical infrastructure of Rhine navigation.