Bern, 30.09.2026 - On 30 September, the 17th bilateral meeting between the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation and the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space took place in Bern. During the meeting, State Secretary Martina Hirayama and State Secretary Marcus Pleyer signed a letter of intent to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in research and innovation. More: Switzerland and Germany strengthen their cooperation in research and innovation

An Egyptian death mask dating from the second century BC has been returned from Switzerland to Egypt. It had been seized in Switzerland as part of criminal proceedings. Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider presented an ancient burial mask to the Egyptian Ambassador on Tuesday. This handover, which took place during a ceremony at the Beatrice von Wattenwyl House in Bern, is intended to underline Switzerland’s commitment to combating the illegal transfer of cultural property, the Federal Office of Culture said.

Parliament has approved the EFTA free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries. Following the Senate, the House of Representatives has also approved a compromise under which the agricultural sector will receive half a billion Swiss francs in support. The final say is likely to rest with the people. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved the agreement by 118 votes to 66, with 10 abstentions.

Berne, 25.09.2026 - On 25 September, the Federal Council took the decision to harmonise and clarify financial provisions in four sanctions ordinances implementing UN sanctions relating to the financing of terrorism and proliferation. Furthermore, international organisations will henceforth benefit from an exemption from the reporting and authorisation requirements for certain transactions under the Iran Ordinance. More: FC – Federal Council clarifies its sanctions ordinances

The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) agreed at its meeting on 25 September to a request from the Russian Federation for the establishment of a panel to review the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Package and alleged export subsidy under the EU scheme for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances. News item ⟶

Le Prix de la Société suisse de droit international (SSDI) est décerné chaque année à la meilleure thèse de doctorat ou d’habilitation dans le domaine du droit international public, du droit international privé, du droit européen ou du droit comparé. Nous vous serions très reconnaissants de bien vouloir transmettre cette communication aux lauréats potentiels ! Toutes les informations se trouvent ici :

Berne, 18.09.2026 — La Suisse continuera de s’engager à l’avenir en faveur d’une production plus durable de cacao et de café dans les pays partenaires. Lors de sa séance du 18 septembre 2016, le Conseil fédéral a décidé d’octroyer une aide financière d’un montant total de 22 millions de francs à la Plateforme suisse du cacao durable (SWISSCO) et à la Plateforme suisse de café durable (SSCP) pour la période 2026-2030.

Berne, 18.09.2026 - La Suisse continuera de s’engager à l’avenir en faveur d’une production plus durable de cacao et de café dans les pays partenaires. Lors de sa séance du 18 septembre 2016, le Conseil fédéral a décidé d’octroyer une aide financière d’un montant total de 22 millions de francs à la Plateforme suisse du cacao durable (SWISSCO) et à la Plateforme suisse de café durable (SSCP) pour la période 2026-2030. Source : CF – Partenariats avec le secteur privé pour une production durable de cacao et de café

Le ou la doctorant·e travaillera au sein du NCCR CLIM+, la première communauté de recherche suisse entièrement interdisciplinaire consacrée aux enjeux liés aux extrêmes climatiques. Les candidatures doivent être soumises au plus tard le 30 septembre 2026. Postuler ici.

The Max Planck Society and the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (MPIL) in Heidelberg invite nominations, including self-nominations, for a Director who will lead a research department at the Institute and contribute to the Institute’s mission. The MPIL is looking for a highly creative and visionary Director who will complement, enrich and further develop the research agenda and profile of the MPIL in a spirit of collaboration.

Berne, 09.09.2026 - The Federal Council has banned the purchase and import of gold originating in Sudan. The sale to Sudan of certain goods used in gold mining and gold extraction is also prohibited. In so doing, the Federal Council is aligning itself with the EU’s equivalent sanctions. The measures will come into force on 10 September. Source: FC – Federal Council joins EU sanctions against trade in gold from Sudan

Communiqué de presse | 09.09.2026   Berne, 09.09.2026 - Le 9 septembre 2026, le Conseil fédéral a pris connaissance des résultats de la procédure de consultation relative à l’accord sur le changement climatique, le commerce et la durabilité. La consultation fait apparaître un large soutien en faveur de l’accord et de sa ratification. Source: CF – Accord sur le changement climatique, le commerce et la durabilité : clôture de la procédure de consultation

Libya’s rival factions signed a draft agreement charting a path to elections within two years, leaving the permanent constitution to be drafted by the newly elected parliament. The deal gives the House of Representatives and High Council of State one month to ratify it domestically. If either body fails to do so, the parties intend to seek its adoption as a constitutional document through broader national mechanisms backed by the UN Security Council, a fallback that raises questions about the document’s domestic legal authority if it bypasses Libya’s own legislative bodies.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on Monday stated that countries have a legal obligation to consider comprehensive reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and the continuing harm caused by racialized chattel slavery. In a general recommendation, the Committee said that the historical harms associated with the trafficking and enslavement of Africans continue to manifest via systemic racial discrimination and other forms of inequality.

The General Court of the European Union upheld the European Commission’s decision not to review its own rules on how much greenhouse gas each EU country is allowed to emit. Two civil society groups had argued the Commission’s climate targets were not ambitious enough, but the Court said the Commission only implements targets set by lawmakers and it cannot be asked to overrule them. The ruling matters because it closes off one of the few legal routes citizens had to challenge whether the EU’s climate goals are strong enough.

À l'occasion de son 60e anniversaire, l'Association suisse pour le droit européen (ASDE) a le plaisir de vous convier à la conférence-débat qu'elle organise, le 30 septembre 2026, à la Maison des Cantons à Berne (Speichergasse 6, 3011 Berne). La conférence-débat, qui sera bilingue français-allemand (sans traduction) portera sur le thème « Bilatérales III : la souveraineté suisse en péril ?

In a monumental win for Pakistan, a panel for the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on Monday held that India must honor a nearly 70-year-old water treaty with Pakistan. The court said that the treaty remained legally binding and that no party could unilaterally suspend or terminate it. The PCA ruled that India must halt the construction of the Ratle Hydro-Electric Plant and prohibited India from concreting the dam above a certain level.

The nation of Vanuatu on Monday filed an application with the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) against France, requesting that the court affirm its sovereignty over disputed islands in the South Pacific region and establish new boundaries between Vanuatu and the French territory of New Caledonia. Vanuatu is a cluster of roughly 80 islands and 300,000 residents, located about 300 miles northeast of New Caledonia.

Communiqué de presse | 02.09.2026   CF – Le Conseil fédéral approuve le message sur l’accord de protection des investissements avec l’Arabie saoudite Berne, 02.09.2026 - Le Conseil fédéral a adopté le 2 septembre 2026 le message à l’intention des Chambres fédérales concernant le nouvel accord de promotion et de protection réciproque des investissements conclu entre la Suisse et l’Arabie saoudite. Il comble le vide juridique créé par la dénonciation par l’Arabie saoudite de l’accord précédent. Source: CF – Le Conseil fédéral approuve le message sur l’accord de protection des investissements avec l’Arabie saoudite

Communiqué de presse | 02.09.2026   Berne, 02.09.2026 - Le 1er octobre prochain marquera la date de l’entrée en vigueur de l’accord de libre-échange conclu entre l’Association européenne de libre-échange (Suisse, Islande, Liechtenstein, Norvège) et la République du Kosovo. Le Conseil fédéral a arrêté le 2 septembre 2026 les modifications d’ordonnances nécessaires pour mettre en œuvre les concessions tarifaires convenues au titre de l’accord.   SOurce: CF – Entrée en vigueur de l’accord de libre-échange avec le Kosovo le 1er octobre 2026

UN experts on Friday urged member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to implement more stringent measures to safeguard the future of the Court after the latest string of sanctions by the United States targeting senior court officials, emphasizing that such sanctions threaten justice and only serve to embolden the perpetrators of atrocities. In commenting on the importance of collective action to ensure that the future of the Court and the rights of survivors of the most heinous crimes of humanity remain intact, the experts stated:

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Türkiye’s detention of Mehmet Osman Kavala since 2017 is unlawful in nature, finding that the country’s government has deprived him of his rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, fair trial, and liberty. A majority judges criticized the Turkish domestic courts for not “even attempting to establish” the causal link between the acts of violence during the 2013…

Refugees from Afghanistan can again be returned to their country after the Swiss Federal Administrative Court ruled repatriations possible under “favourable individual circumstances”. The court made the ruling as it dismissed an appeal against repatriation from a young Afghan man. The judges in St Gallen carried out a reassessment of the situation in Afghanistan. The landmark ruling said that while repatriations should remain restricted, some are now possible under certain favourable individual circumstances.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday condemned the US for its latest sanctions against Tomoko Akane, the president of the court, and Abdoulaye Seye, senior trial lawyer at the Office of the Prosecutor. The court reiterated its steadfast commitment to upholding accountability and protecting victims of international crimes. The court’s statement described the sanctions as a “flagrant attack” against its judicial independence, hindering the performance of its mandate under the…

Berne, 27.07.2026 — À la demande du Royaume-Uni et avec l’accord des autorités suisses, un groupe d’inspection de quatre personnes arrivera en Suisse le 27 juillet 2026 afin de procéder à une inspection dans le cadre de l’Organisation pour la sécurité et la coopération en Europe (OSCE). More: Inspection d’activités militaires de l’Armée suisse par le Royaume-Uni

After a break of almost four years, Switzerland is resuming the transfer of asylum-seekers arriving from Italy. "The first flights have been booked," Magdalena Baker, spokesperson for the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), confirmed to Swiss public broadcaster SRF, explaining that the process will resume from the end of August and that, at present, these are only isolated cases. The SEM has agreed with the Italian authorities that the resumption should take place gradually.

Berne, 20.08.2026 - President Guy Parmelin and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao announced on 20 August, during a meeting in Bern, that negotiations on the optimisation of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Switzerland and the People’s Republic of China had been concluded. Source: Media release | 20.08.2026   Switzerland and China conclude negotiations on optimisation of free trade agreement

We are pleased to share the invitation to the upcoming public roundtable Open Constitutional Democracy: Reconciling Deliberation and Constitutional Democracy which will take place at the University of Lausanne and online on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:45 pm. The event will bring together leading experts in the field of democratic innovations for an interdisciplinary conversation about the constitutional role and design of deliberative mini-publics.

Date Le 25 septembre 2026 Horaires De 13:30 à 16:30 PublicActivités tous publics Lieu Extranef, 110 Format Présentiel Ajouter à mon agenda Monsieur Christian Pauletto, titulaire d’un Diplôme d'études supérieures (droit international) de l'Institut universitaire de hautes études internationales, Genève, soutiendra, en vue de l'obtention du grade de docteur en droit, sa thèse de doctorat intitulée : " INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MODEL-BASED TREATIES - AN ANALYSIS OF THEIR FORM, EMERGENCE AND IMPACT WITH A FOCUS ON SERVICE TRADE " …

Berne, 14.08.2026 - Le Conseil fédéral a consulté les Commissions de la politique extérieure et les Commissions de la politique de sécurité des deux Chambres au sujet de son projet visant à étendre l’échange de données sur la situation aérienne avec ses partenaires en matière de politique de sécurité. Ce projet est soutenu à l’unanimité par les quatre Commissions. Lors de sa séance du 12 août 2026, le Conseil fédéral a approuvé définitivement le mandat de négociation. Source: Communiqué de presse | 14.08.2026   Échange de données sur la situation aérienne : soutien unanime des Commissions parlementaires

Berne, 12.08.2026 - Le 12 août 2026, le Conseil fédéral a approuvé la signature d’un accord avec le Liechtensein visant à reconnaître les maturités professionnelles des deux pays. Cet accord complète l’accord de 2014 relatif à la reconnaissance des certificats de fin d’apprentissage. Il doit être signé sous peu et entrer en vigueur le 1er janvier 2027. Source: Communiqué de presse | 12.08.2026   Le Conseil fédéral ratifie un accord de reconnaissance des certificats de maturité professionnelle avec le Liechtenstein

Berne, 12.08.2026 - La Suisse et Singapour veulent coopérer plus étroitement dans la lutte contre la criminalité internationale. Le Conseil fédéral a adopté lors de sa séance du 12 juin 2026 le message relatif à un accord bilatéral d’entraide judiciaire en matière pénale avec Singapour. L’accord simplifiera et accélérera l’entraide judiciaire internationale entre les deux États. Source: Communiqué de presse | 12.08.2026   Le Conseil fédéral adopte le message relatif à l’accord d’entraide judiciaire avec Singapour

Berne, 12.08.2026 - À sa séance du 12 août 2026, le Conseil fédéral a décidé de durcir les dispositions actuelles en matière de visa applicables à la Somalie et à la Guinée. Ces mesures s’inscrivent dans le cadre de l’accord d’association à Schengen. Elles découlent de la décision prise par l’Union européenne de restreindre temporairement certaines dispositions du code des visas pour les ressortissants somaliens et guinéens. Source: Communiqué de presse | 12.08.2026   La Suisse durcit les dispositions en matière de visa pour la Somalie et la Guinée

The outflow of water from lake Lugano to Italy will be increased from the current three to eight cubic metres per second for a period of ten days. This will allow more water to flow into lake Maggiore and into the Italian rice-growing areas near Novara, Lomellina and Milan. The measure will result in a reduction in the water level of lake Lugano by a total of around ten centimetres, the Ticino Waterways Authority announced.

On 1 April 2022, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) brought disciplinary proceedings against a number of clubs, including Juventus FC, and against some of their directors suspected of having participated in a system of artificial capital gains in respect of player transfers, intended artificially to inflate their book value. Subsequently, two directors of Juventus were prohibited from carrying on any activities within the FIGC.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested on US soil, President Donald Trump declared Monday, an assurance that underscored a widening gap between international criminal law on paper and its enforcement in practice as Washington escalates its campaign against the court seeking his arrest. “Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump wrote on social media, adding that Netanyahu is fighting Iran and that “the only ones that should be arrested” are Iran’s leaders.

La Suisse est surtout connue comme État dépositaire dans le cadre des Conventions de Genève. À ce titre, elle assume des tâches clairement définies, mais doit aussi faire face à des sollicitations constantes. Plus:

At a meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) on 24 July, members considered a request from the Russian Federation for the establishment of a dispute panel to review the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Package and alleged export subsidy under the EU scheme for trading greenhouse gas emission allowances. The DSB Chair, Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil), also updated members on dispute settlement reform consultations and convened an informal discussion after the meeting to further hear members’ views. News item ⟶

On 28 July, the WTO circulated the panel report in the case brought by China in “Türkiye — Measures Concerning Electric Vehicles and Other Types of Vehicles from China” (DS629). News item ⟶

Bern, 30.07.2026 - 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. More:   Switzerland and Austria sign protocol of amendment to double taxation agreement

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has criticised Swiss authorities and courts for denying a man the right to visit his pregnant partner whilst she was in pre-trial detention. In its ruling on Thursday, the Court declared the appeal lodged by the pregnant woman, who was detained in 2019, to be admissible. In doing so, the Court cited the right to respect for private and family life enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Bern, 17.07.2026 - Switzerland is taking part in the Ammunition Support Partnership (ASP) of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). This promotes the joint procurement of ammunition as well as its monitoring and environmentally sound disposal. Thanks to economies of scale, the costs of procurement can be reduced and the delivery times shortened. More: Switzerland expands international cooperation in ammunition procurement

Communiqué de presse | 15.07.2026   Publication d'une liste d'indications géographiques de l'UE Berne, 15.07.2026 - L'Office fédéral de l'agriculture (OFAG) a publié dans la Feuille officielle suisse du commerce (FOSC) une liste de 115 indications géographiques enregistrées dans l'Union européenne. Dans le cadre d'une mise à jour de l'accord agricole bilatéral CH-UE, la Suisse examine leur reconnaissance sur le territoire helvétique. Plus :

The Italian region of Piedmont is struggling with drought. The Piedmontese government plans to ask the Swiss canton of Ticino to increase the volume of water supplied to the region. At the same time, the Turin-based farmers’ association Coldiretti is calling for a state of emergency to be declared due to the drought. "We cannot wait a minute longer," said regional president Alberto Cirio, who had convened a round-table meeting on Monday to discuss the water crisis in the region, as reported by the Italian news agency Ansa.