News

From 9 November 2026, taxable persons will be able to deregister their business from VAT, create a new VAT group or edit an existing VAT group on the FTA portal. The new functions can be found on the FTA portal under ‘New transactions’. Businesses will benefit from clearly structured and user-friendly processes that reduce the administrative burden.

Opening address by FDFA State Secretary Alexandre Fasel at the Global Dialogue on International Humanitarian Law in Geneva – Check against delivery.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis will be in Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia from 4 to 6 November 2026. The visits will focus on bilateral relations, European integration and the promotion of peace, stability and security in the Western Balkans. In his capacity as chairman-in-office of the OSCE, Mr Cassis will also visit the OSCE missions in Belgrade, Pristina and Skopje.

Some things are not permitted in wartime, such as bombing a hospital, targeting civilians and preventing the wounded from receiving medical treatment. International humanitarian law (IHL) sets limits on parties to armed conflicts, but the rules continue to be flouted all too often. On 3 and 4 November 2026, Switzerland and the ICRC will bring together representatives from more than 100 states in Geneva to identify concrete ways of improving compliance with these rules. This gathering is part of an initiative launched in 2024 by six states and the ICRC.

On 2 November 2026, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) amended the Annex of the Ordinance on measures against Nicaragua. The entry concerning one individual has been modified. The measures come into force on 3 November 2026 at 11 p.m.

On 2 November 2026, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) amended Annex 2 of the Ordinance on measures against Sudan. The entries concerning three individuals have been modified. The measures come into force on 3 November 2026 at 11 p.m.

Although fruit and vegetables are transported in refrigerated trucks, the temperature often varies within the load. Pallets that haven’t been pre-cooled sufficiently, unsuitable packaging, or improper stacking can create hot spots within the cargo. Empa researchers have developed a digital twin of a refrigerated truck to optimize transport and better estimate the shelf life of foodstuff.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.2% in October 2026 compared with the previous month, reaching 101.7 points (December 2025 = 100). Inflation was +1.5% compared with the same month of the previous year. These are the results of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The Swiss Armed Forces need real estate to fulfil their training and operational mission. This includes barracks, military airfields and military training areas, for example. These properties are recorded in the real estate portfolio of armasuisse Real Estate (ar Immo), which had a value as new of CHF 28.4 billion at the end of 2025. Of this, CHF 23.9 billion is in the core portfolio and is therefore in longer-term use. The current geopolitical situation is leading to a realignment of the Armed Forces, which is also changing their real estate portfolio. The stationing concept originally envisaged reducing the core portfolio to CHF 20 billion. In 2022, however, this was reversed in favour of an expansion to up to CHF 30 billion. The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) examined whether ar Immo steers its portfolio with suitable instruments and, on the basis of adequate requirements, ensures that projects are carried out economically. The audit identified several areas requiring action, some of them already known: unclear user requirements, a missing strategy, insufficient steering, a backlog of repairs and a lack of standardisation. As a result, ar Immo can perform its tasks only to a limited extent. The Real Estate Board must therefore take fundamental decisions on the direction to be taken.

RUAG MRO Holding AG (RUAG MRO) is a government-owned company. It maintains, repairs and services the Swiss Armed Forces' equipment. In 2022, RUAG MRO launched the “Command, Control, Cyber, Communications, Computers and Intelligence” (C5I) programme; C5I's origins date back to 2017. Since 1 April 2025, C5I has been a business area in its own right, supporting the digitalisation of the Armed Forces' sensor, intelligence, command and effects network. C5I generates 90% of its revenue from services for the Armed Forces Cyber Command. It earns the other 10% from services for clients within the federal government environment. C5I aims to finance the expansion of its business itself. Against this background, the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) examined whether C5I charges costs and services in a comprehensible manner and in accordance with the federal government's requirements. Overall, the audit produced a positive picture, although transparency in invoicing could be improved.

Allocution de M. Guy Parmelin, président de la Confédération, Chef du Département fédéral de l’économie, de la formation et de la recherche (DEFR) à l’occasion du 20e anniversaire de Suissenégoce

You could be interested by new pages which have been published on the OFCOM website between 15.10.2026 and 31.10.2026.