Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Until now, married couples in Switzerland struggling with infertility have been able to turn to sperm donors. With the revision of the Reproduction Act, the Federal Council now wants to legalise egg donation and make both egg and sperm donation accessible to all couples.

In today’s briefing, we also take a look at a story out of canton Basel City, where a tax return mishap has reached as far as the Bahamas.

After a few figures on Swiss exports in 2024, we move to outer space, where a new law aims to make Switzerland a more attractive player in this area.

Best wishes from Bern

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Women unable to conceive currently have to travel abroad for egg donations. This is set to change, the Swiss government announced today.

As part of a revision of the Reproduction Act, the Federal Council plans to legalise egg donation in Switzerland. The current law only permits married couples struggling with infertility to access sperm donation – either through insemination or in vitro fertilisation.

The government wants to lift the ban on egg donation, fulfilling a demand from parliament. “The aim is to protect egg donors and ensure the welfare of the child,” writes the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). This protection is not guaranteed if couples seek egg donation abroad.

The government also wants to allow unmarried couples to access both sperm and egg donation. The restriction limiting donations to married couples is “no longer in keeping with the times and does not reflect social reality,” the FOPH states. Previously, single women had no access to reproductive medicine. The new law will specify the conditions under which couples can access egg donation – the FOPH says a casual acquaintance will not be sufficient.

However, it will be some time before egg donation is available in Switzerland. The interior ministry will draft a consultation proposal by the end of 2025, after which the issue will go before parliament.

• The full article by Swiss public television, SRFExternal link (in German)

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Swiss exports rose slightly in 2024 (up 3.2%), according to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security.

Only two of Switzerland’s eleven main export sectors grew: chemical-pharmaceutical products (up 10%) and food and beverages (up 2.3%) – the latter driven by coffee exports.

Meanwhile, imports fell slightly, leading to a record trade surplus of CHF60.6 billion ($66.8 billion).

After three years of growth, Swiss watch exports declined by 2.8% in 2024. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, this reflects “an economic slowdown in demand for personal luxury goods” as well as increased competition in the entry-level and mid-range price segments.

The drop in demand has been particularly sharp in China, significantly affecting the Swatch Group, among others. The company’s 2024 turnover fell by 14.6% compared to the previous year.

The prospects for market recovery remain uncertain. “At present, there is no indication of a turnaround in 2025,” writes the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, suggesting the downward trend in Swiss watch exports is likely to continue.

• The article in Tages-AnzeigerExternal link (in German)
• The Swiss watch exports report by Keystone-SDA (in English)

Lookphotos / Frei, Franz Marc

A mistake on a tax return information flyer has created an unusual connection between canton Basel City and the Bahamas.

“Always go to www.eSteuern.BS/private first,” taxpayers in the canton were advised in the flyer that was sent to over 100,000 residents. The problem? The link was missing a crucial dot and two key letters – “.ch”.

In internet domain names, “.bs” refers to the Bahamas rather than Basel, making the misprint an unfortunate oversight for the cantonal tax office. Faced with two options – reprinting and resending all the flyers or purchasing the Bahamian domain eSteuern.bs – officials opted for the cheaper solution. Buying the domain cost CHF900 ($992), while printing and dispatching new flyers would have exceeded CHF100,000 ($110,264).

In the future, taxpayers who visit eSteuern.bs will be redirected to the correct Basel website, eSteuern.bs.ch. Authorities insist there are no security concerns. “No data is transferred. It is simply a link redirecting users to the correct page,” they stated.

However, it will take some time before the redirect is fully operational. The registration process is still ongoing, and approval lies in the hands of authorities in the Bahamas. In the meantime, Basel taxpayers will be able to submit their 2024 tax returns online from next week.

• The full article by Swiss public television, SRFExternal link (in German)

Keystone / Gaetan Bally

The government wants to enhance Switzerland’s attractiveness in the space sector and establish legal regulations for the related industry. To this end, it has submitted a draft law for consultation.

The proposed legislation covers the authorisation and supervision of space activities, liability issues and the national register for space objects, according to the economics ministry. “Space activities” primarily refer to satellites, which the Federal Council notes are increasingly vital for the economy, security and everyday applications such as navigation systems.

Currently, there is no legal framework to prohibit undesirable space activities. Under the new law, operators of satellites will require a licence  – “just as drivers need a licence to operate a car,” explained Economics Minister Guy Parmelin.

The government also aims to use the law to strengthen Switzerland’s position as a business hub. The space sector has evolved dramatically in recent years, with a growing number of public and private players expanding their capabilities. Switzerland wants to ensure it keeps pace.

• The report by Swiss public television, RTSExternal link (in French)

Cineworx

Picture of the day

The documentary film Immortals by Maja Tschumi has won the main Prix de Soleure award at the 60th Solothurn Film Festival.

“Aesthetics and narration come together, and the filmmakers allow us to share in the hope of their protagonists, giving us a glimpse into the aspirations of a generation—of an entire people,” the jury said in its statement.

The film follows two young people in Baghdad and captures the atmosphere following the 2019 protests in Iraq.

Translated from German using DeepL/amva