Here you can find the last 12 media releases and other news published by the FDFA, such as statements, announcements and articles, in chronological order.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Der Bundesrat hat heute den Planungskorridor für die rund 7 Kilometer lange Höchstspannungsleitung von Frohalp in Wollishofen zum Unterwerk Waldegg (Stadt Zürich) festgesetzt. Sie soll vollständig als Kabelleitung realisiert werden. Damit kann die Projektierung der neuen Höchstspannungsleitung zwischen Kilchberg und Waldegg (Kanton Zürich) beginnen.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Der Bundesrat hat am 18. Dezember 2015 im Zusammenhang mit der Umsetzung von Artikel 121a zur Zuwanderung zusätzliche Massnahmen zur Bekämpfung der Missbräuche auf dem Arbeitsmarkt beschlossen. Unter anderem verabschiedete er die Botschaft zur Revision des Bundesgesetzes gegen die Schwarzarbeit und legte das Vorgehen bezüglich der künftigen Ausgestaltung der Flankierenden Massnahmen fest. Der Bundesrat erwartet von den Sozialpartnern und den Kantonen, dass sie sich bis Februar 2016 über Massnahmen zur Missbrauchsbekämpfung einigen. Im Weiteren entschied sich der Bundesrat für eine weitere Verstärkung der Massnahmen der Fachkräfteinitiative.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Heidi Tagliavini, was awarded the medal of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) at the meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on 17 December 2015. Heidi Tagliavini was honoured with the award for her tireless efforts to contribute to the resolution of the conflict in the east of Ukraine.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
In September 2015 the 193 member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which Switzerland also recognises. Today the Federal Council has initiated the preparatory work needed for Switzerland to actively work towards implementing these objectives.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Ce vendredi, le Conseil fédéral a passé en revue la situation actuelle afin de déterminer s’il est nécessaire de renforcer les contrôles aux frontières. Il a conclu que les mesures actuellement appliquées par le Corps des gardes-frontière, à savoir les contrôles douaniers et les contrôles de personnes effectués en cas de soupçon policier, sont suffisantes pour le moment. Les organes de sûreté de la Confédération continuent de suivre attentivement l’évolution de la situation et prendront au besoin des mesures supplémentaires.
18.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
En lien avec la mise en œuvre de l’art. 121a de la Constitution concernant l’immigration, le Conseil fédéral a décidé, le 18 décembre 2015, de mettre en œuvre des mesures supplémentaires pour lutter contre les abus sur le marché du travail. Il a notamment approuvé le message relatif à la révision de la loi sur le travail au noir et a défini la marche à suivre en ce qui concerne l’élaboration des mesures d’accompagnement. Le Conseil fédéral attend des partenaires sociaux qu’ils s’entendent, d’ici à février 2016, sur des mesures pour lutter contre les abus sur le marché du travail. Il a en outre décidé de renforcer les mesures de l’initiative visant à combattre la pénurie de personnel qualifié.
17.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Roman Mayer wird neuer Vizedirektor und Leiter der Abteilung Recht, Wasserkraft und Entsorgung des Bundesamts für Energie (BFE). Er tritt sein Amt am 1. Mai 2016 an.
16.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Negli ultimi anni la Confederazione ha adeguato la propria legislazione a diversi atti giuridici dell’UE concernenti l’accesso al mercato del trasporto stradale, le norme tecniche per i veicoli e l’interoperabilità. Il Comitato misto Svizzera-UE ha quindi potuto procedere alle modifiche corrispondenti nell’accordo bilaterale sui trasporti terrestri. La delegazione svizzera ha inoltre colto l’occasione per informare gli omologhi dell’UE sulle decisioni del Consiglio federale relative alla tassa sul traffico pesante commisurata alle prestazioni (TTPCP).
16.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Die Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle (Nagra) will die vom Eidgenössischen Nuklearsicherheitsinspektorat (ENSI) geforderte Zusatzdokumentation zur bautechnischen Machbarkeit eines Tiefenlagers bis Mitte 2016 vorlegen. Das ENSI wird die Detailprüfung der Berichte und Analysen der Nagra im Frühling 2017 abschliessen. Auf Grundlage aller Ergebnisse wird der Bundesrat voraussichtlich bis Ende 2018 entscheiden, ob er den von der Nagra vorgeschlagenen Standortgebieten zustimmt.
14.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Public international law affects our daily lives without us always knowing. The FDFA Directorate of International Law (DIL) chose to demonstrate this at its traditional annual event, which took place on 14 December 2015 in Bern. Didier Burkhalter, Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, opened the event in the Rathaus. The visiting audience was then invited to view a series of interactive exhibitions at various venues in Bern, before participating in a discussion involving some major Swiss business players.
14.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Ottenendo il riconoscimento «Recognised for Excellence 5-STAR», l'Istruzione superiore dei quadri dell'esercito (ISQE) ha raggiunto il più elevato livello di riconoscimento secondo gli standard europei dell'EFQM riconosciuti. In tal modo l'ISQE consolida la propria posizione tra le istituzioni leader nel campo della formazione in Svizzera.
11.12.2015
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Press releases
EDA
At its meeting on 11 December 2015, the Federal Council approved a contribution of CHF 18.5 million to the General Fund of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This financial package will support UNRWA's humanitarian activities and its development assistance to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory in 2016.
18.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
This year's High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is taking place from 14 to 23 July 2025 at the UN headquarters in New York. The Swiss delegation is being led by Markus Reubi, the Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda at the FDFA and will focus on economic growth and decent work.
17.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Markus Mäder, State Secretary for Security Policy, will hold talks on current security policy developments and bilateral cooperation with his counterparts in Chisinau (Moldova) from 17 to 18 July.
11.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
In April 2023, the Federal Council decided to establish a memorial in the centre of Bern for the victims of National Socialism. The Federal Council considers it vital to keep alive the memory of the consequences of National Socialism, as well as the fate of the six million Jews and all other victims of the Nazi regime. On the recommendation of the communal parliament of the City of Bern, the Casinoterrasse near the Federal Parliament was selected as the location for the site of remembrance. A call is now being organised to gather proposals for the its creation from multidisciplinary teams in the fields of art, architecture and history.
11.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) has been held since 2022 to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. At this year's conference, which took place in Rome from 10 to 11 July, the head of the Swiss delegation, Jacques Gerber, signed an international treaty with Ukraine. This forms the legal basis for increased cooperation with the Swiss private sector in reconstruction. Projects in the areas of health, education and war risk insurance were also approved.
11.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
On 10 and 11 July, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Malaysia. His participation underlines South East Asia's growing economic importance to Switzerland. Mr Cassis used the platform to discuss economic ties, bilateral relations and global challenges with his counterparts from Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. For the first time, he also met the new Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand on the margins of the conference.
09.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis visited Nepal and Bhutan during his week-long trip to Asia from 7 to 9 July. The official talks with government representatives centred on bilateral relations and opportunities for deeper economic cooperation.
08.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Dans un contexte global marqué par le recul de l’Etat de droit, la Suisse travaille avec détermination en faveur des droits de l’homme. Pour cette 59ème session du Conseil des droits de l’homme (CDH) des Nations Unies, un accent particulier a été placé sur la promotion des droits des femmes et de l’égalité de genre, ainsi que sur les droits des personnes LGBT. La session, qui s'est clôturée aujourd’hui après trois semaines et demie de débats, a été marquée par une adaptation du travail imposée par les restrictions budgétaires affectant l’ensemble du système onusien.
06.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
As of today, 6 July 2025, the Swiss embassy in Tehran is open again after having temporarily closed on 20 June due to the unstable situation in Iran. Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano and a small team returned to Tehran yesterday overland via Azerbaijan. The embassy will gradually resume operations.
03.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, will be travelling to Asia from 7 to 13 July 2025. He will attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. His participation highlights the growing economic and geopolitical importance of the South East Asian states. Official working visits to Nepal, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore are also planned around the conference.
01.07.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Alexandre Fasel, the state secretary of the FDFA, was in Berlin on 1 July 2025 to hold political consultations with his German counterpart, the state secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, Géza Andreas von Geyr. Talks focused on current geopolitical developments, bilateral issues and the opening of the consultation procedure in Switzerland on the agreements in the new Swiss-EU package. Mr Fasel also met with the state secretary of Germany's Federal Chancellery, Jörg Semmler.
30.06.2025 —
Press releases
EDA
Switzerland will be participating in the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. Organised under the auspices of the United Nations, this global event aims to address financing challenges in order to help achieve the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. The conference will cover a wide range of issues relating to development policy, environmental, economic and social sustainability, and macroeconomics. The Swiss delegation is being led by Patricia Danzi, director general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
24.11.2022 —
Article
EDA
Approximately 780,000 Swiss citizens abroad currently benefit from the wide range of services provided by a global network of representations offering advice and support. The FDFA Helpline is also on hand to answer queries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Now there's a new app that makes staying in touch even easier: SwissInTouch keeps Switzerland at your fingertips.
29.01.2022 —
EDA
Allocution du président de la Confédération Ignazio Cassis, chef du Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, à l’occasion du 150e anniversaire du passage de la frontière de l’armée du général Bourbaki - Check against delivery.
21.05.2021 —
EDA
Speech by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on the occasion of the 131st (virtual) Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Check against delivery.
04.09.2020 —
EDA
Camorino, 04.09.2020 - Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony "Ceneri2020" - Check against delivery
25.08.2020 —
EDA
Bern, 25.08.2020: Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the occasion of the retirement of the ambassadors and the welcoming of the young diplomats who are taking up their posts in the service of the FDFA. Check against delivery.
26.06.2020 —
EDA
Geneva, 26.06.2020: Address by the Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter - Check against delivery
17.01.2020 —
Article
EDA
Just what is the perfect trip abroad? And where would it take you? Swiss travellers have different needs and expectations – some prefer to go on their own, others would rather choose an organised tour. It doesn't matter if you're a backpacker or a jet-setter: the FDFA provides a wide range of services for anyone who wants to travel abroad.
20.12.2019 —
EDA
At its meeting on 20 December 2019, the Federal Council approved an exchange of notes between Switzerland and Italy regarding the change of the customs status of the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia. This exchange of notes is necessary to ensure legal certainty and facilitates the transition of Campione d'Italia into the European Union's customs territory, scheduled for 1 January 2020.
19.12.2019 —
EDA
On 16 and 17 December 2019 a third meeting of the Working Group on Unresolved Issues established by the Joint Committee, supervising the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Government of the Russian Federation on the basic principles for a mechanism of customs administration and monitoring of trade in goods, signed on 9 November 2011, took place in Bern.
17.12.2019 —
EDA
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis has opened the Global Refugee Forum together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. The purpose of the forum, which takes place on 17 and 18 December at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, is to find shared solutions to meet the needs of refugees and their host communities.
13.12.2019 —
EDA
On 13 December 2019, the Federal Council decided to extend for one year the preventive freeze on the assets relating to Tunisia and Ukraine. The purpose of this decision is to support the judicial cooperation between Switzerland and these two states.