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Address by Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on the occasion of the first international Conference on the Italian Languages in Rom – Check against delivery

The inaugural ministerial meeting of the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT Partnership) convened in Singapore on 18 November 2025. Switzerland participated in the meeting alongside 15 other states. The FIT Partnership unites small and medium-sized economies committed to open and rules-based global trade.

The head of the FDFA will visit Central and Eastern Africa from 20 to 21 November 2025. In Kigali, Mr Cassis will take part in the 46th session of the Francophonie Ministerial Conference, before inaugurating the new Swiss embassy in the city and meeting his Rwandan counterpart. He will then travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for talks with the Congolese minister of foreign affairs. Mr Cassis' visit to the DRC will focus on the conflict in the east of the country and Switzerland's efforts to promote peace, stability and development in the region.

When the forever chemicals known as PFAS enter the environment, they remain there for generations and can harm humans and nature. Despite increasing bans, many PFAS are still in circulation – including on Swiss ski slopes and cross-country trails, where the toxins enter the environment through abrasion from ski wax. Empa researchers have detected elevated PFAS concentrations in snow samples from the Engadin region – and are urging cross-country skiers to switch to fluorine-free waxes.

In 2025, Swiss agriculture is expected to generate a gross value added of CHF 5 billion, an increase of 9.6% compared with the previous year. Output rose by 4.1%, bolstered by good harvests and favourable overall market conditions for livestock production. Production costs remained stable. These initial estimates for the current year are based on the Economic Accounts for Agriculture compiled by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

In 2024, companies involved in commodity trading generated estimated value added of CHF 19.2 billion, accounting for 2.3% of Switzerland's total value added – a figure comparable to its gross domestic product (GDP). The cantons of Geneva and Zug are the main regional centres for this activity. These are some of the results from the new monetary statistics on commodity traders published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

The Federal Finance Administration (FFA) plans to issue bonds with a face value of CHF 4.5 billion in 2026. Taking account of bonds maturing in 2026, the volume of Confederation bonds outstanding will increase by CHF 1 billion overall. The volume of outstanding money market debt register claims will be kept in a range between CHF 6 billion and CHF 14 billion. Bond auctions take place monthly, except in August, while money market debt register claims are auctioned on a weekly basis. Auctions will now last only 30 minutes, instead of the previous 1.5 hours.

The Federal Finance Administration (FFA) plans to issue bonds with a face value of CHF 4.5 billion in 2026. Taking account of bonds maturing in 2026, the volume of Confederation bonds outstanding will increase by CHF 1 billion overall. The volume of outstanding money market debt register claims will be kept in a range between CHF 6 billion and CHF 14 billion. Bond auctions take place monthly, except in August, while money market debt register claims are auctioned on a weekly basis. Auctions will now last only 30 minutes, instead of the previous 1.5 hours.

According to the early estimate of Switzerland's quarterly real GDP approximately 45 days after the quarter end ('GDP flash'), Swiss economic output is estimated to have contracted by 0.5% in the third quarter of 2025.[1] Driven by a sharp decline in value added in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector, industry as a whole recorded negative growth. The services sector grew at a below-average rate.Note: The flash estimate is based on early information available on the production components of GDP. Estimates are used where values are not yet available. The result may therefore change once the complete and updated source data become available. The regular release of quarterly GDP figures, including details on production, expenditure and income as well as updated calculations for the previous quarters, will be published on 28 November 2025.[1] Adjusted for seasonal/calendar effects and sporting events

Expenditure by Swiss private households changed little in 2023 compared to the previous year. The average disposable income of CHF 7186 per month was comparable to that of the previous year. A large part of this amount was used for the consumption of goods and services, namely CHF 5049. These are some of the findings from the 2023 Household Budget Survey from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Switzerland and Liechtenstein have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the United States. On this basis, the United States will reduce the country-specific additional tariff to 15%.

Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the FDFA, was in Berlin from 13 to 14 October 2025, where he met Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul for official talks. The agenda covered bilateral relations and cross-border cooperation, the package of agreements between Switzerland and the EU, and geopolitical matters including the situation in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Mr Cassis also met with the German minister for economic cooperation and development, Reem Alabali Radovan.