News
Published weekly, the articles in this section provide information for SMEs on the following topics:
- The latest economic developments
- New studies related to SMEs in Switzerland
- Useful news for companies
The most recent articles are also posted on the SME Portal homepage.
Listed by date
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2 October 2026
Ukraine: Federal Council approves additional Swiss private-sector projects
On 2 October, the Federal Council decided to fund eight projects by Swiss companies to support reconstruction in Ukraine. The projects were selected through a competitive selection process.
29 September 2026
Sanctions: Ordinance on Measures Against Certain Individuals, Groups, Companies, and Organisations Associated with ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaïda
The UN sanctions committee has amended the list of sanctioned individuals, companies and organizations. The SESAM database has been updated accordingly. On 4 March 2016 the Federal Council has adopted the Ordinance on the automatic application of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists. Hence, the amendments of the UN Security Council’s sanctions lists enter into force in Switzerland without delay.
25 September 2026
Federal Council clarifies its sanctions ordinances
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.
23 September 2026
Ukraine: Switzerland helps safeguard grain harvest
Switzerland is providing CHF 3 million in support of a project run by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to safeguard the Ukrainian grain harvest and prepare for the next planting season. Providing additional storage capacity should prevent crop losses and safeguard the livelihoods of farms in regions affected by the war. The project was a topic of discussion for Jacques Gerber, the Federal Council’s Delegate for Ukraine, during his visit to Kyiv from 20 to 23 September.
18 September 2026
Ukraine: Switzerland adopts further EU sanctions against Belarus
On 18 September, the Federal Council decided to impose further sanctions on Belarus, aligning itself with the measures the European Union (EU) adopted against Belarus on 23 April. The changes will come into effect on 19 September.
17 September 2026
Economic forecast: 2026 growth stronger than previously expected
The Federal Government Expert Group on Business Cycles is raising its forecast for economic growth in Switzerland. For 2026, it now expects growth of 1.7% (June forecast: 0.9%), while the forecast for 2027 remains unchanged at 1.6% [1]. Swiss GDP has recently grown strongly. However, the Iran conflict, high energy prices and continuing uncertainty over trade policy pose significant risks to the economic outlook.