Spring Meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad - 20./21. March 2025

27. March 2025, Beat Knoblauch & Carmen Trochsler

The spring meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) took place in Bern on 21 March. The day before, delegates gathered at the Federal Palace for a workshop and a meeting with Federal Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis.

Representing Australia were Beat Knoblauch, Katja Wallimann Gates, and Carmen Trochsler, with Roland Isler joining online.

20 March 2025 – Federal Palace | Workshop & Meeting with Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis

The Swiss diaspora is currently facing multiple challenges. The tense global situation affects Swiss citizens abroad in different ways, depending on their place of residence. At the same time, they are encountering political and media headwinds in Switzerland, while government services for the Swiss Abroad—like all areas of public spending—are facing budget cuts.

A workshop at the Bundeshaus, co-lead by Australian Delegate and OSA Board Member Carmen Trochsler, explored the value of the Fifth Switzerland and how its potential can be better utilised. Too often, the Swiss Abroad are subject to broad generalisations and sensationalist media reports rather than nuanced, fact-based perspectives. Yet, many internationally mobile Swiss make significant contributions that enhance Switzerland’s image, economy, and innovation. These contributions need greater visibility. More

Fond memories of the Swiss National day Celebration in Sydney in 2023. In conversation with Carmen Trochsler, Federal Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis shared that he fondly remembers his visit to Australia for the National Day celebration two years ago. A big shoutout to the Swiss community in Sydney for the warm welcome he received!

After the workshop, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis joined the delegates to answer their questions. He emphasised that Switzerland is not immune to the current global shifts and expressed confidence that the Bilateral II agreements with the EU could pass through Parliament by early 2026. He also highlighted the potential of the Swiss Abroad in international cooperation, noting that around three-quarters hold dual nationality. Despite the current dip in public opinion towards the Swiss Abroad in Switzerland, he reaffirmed that their value is well recognised.

21March 2025 – Kursaal | Council of the Swiss Abroad Meeting

Key topics:

• The possible return of high numbers of Swiss living abroad due to global political developments - is Switzerland prepared for that? The challenge of such an influx of people would arise on several levels, both logistically, financially and socially. The ASO board will look further into this with representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and update the Council.

• The assistance for Swiss Citizens living abroad if they find themselves unexpectedly in war zones or disaster situations (example Israel). The board will clarify what measures are already in place to protect these groups and what could be done in the future to enhance their protection.

• E-voting in the cantons of SG, BS & TG and GR for Swiss Abroad continues to work successfully. Several other cantons have confirmed interest to join the pilot project and plan to offer e-voting to Swiss Abroad this or next year. An update on the rollout is expected for later this year. President Lombardi stressed the progress made and still in process to guarantee electronic voting for all Swiss Abroad. It will be difficult though to convince some cantons to allow Swiss Abroad to elect also the cantonal member to the Council of States (Staenderat).

  
  

• The parliamentary proposal Postulat Schneider-Schneiter, aiming at a solution for continued access to Swiss Health Insurance for Swiss Abroad was narrowly rejected in the National Council end of last year. The efforts to find a solution, especially for those Swiss Abroad who are left with no other options, will continue.

  
  

• Given the big success of the webinars offered to Swiss Abroad conducted since 2023, more webinars on topics relevant to the Swiss Abroad will be offered in 2025. In collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Soliswiss, topics this year will be:

  • Civil Status on 17 June 2025

  • Taxes / Finances on 16 September 2025

  • Political Rights on 4 November 2025

    
    

• Banks present at the meeting, offering accounts to Swiss Abroad with no minimal deposit: 

• BCGE/Banque Cantonale de Geneve . Branches are in Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and Basel. Contact Details: auslandschweizer@bcge.ch | 0041 61 226 61 00 (German, French, English)| Website. Yearly fees ~ CHF 180 (includes account fee and domicile abroad fee, as per 1.1.25). T&C apply. Please note that an appointment is necessary. 

• ZKB/Zuercher Kantonalbank. Contact Details:  neukundeninfo@zkb.ch /  Website. Yearly fees ~ CHF 360 (includes 0 account fee and domicile abroad fee), as per 1.1.25). T&C apply. Please note an appointment is necessary.  

• The new SWIplus App was released on 11th March. The app offers quick and easy access to the most important news and information from Switzerland. Amongst the notable new features is direct access to programs such as the Tagesschau und Echo der Zeit.

• Information from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Marianne Jenni

  • Marianne Jenni is the new Director General of the Consular Directorate at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Berne since 1.1.2025.

  • The International Crisis Management is now with her office.

  • In Countries, where Switzerland is not officially represented, approaches are underway with e.g. Austria to fill the gap for Consular Services.

  • Smaller equipment for biometric collection of data for the issue of passports is being evaluated, to make it easier for more frequent touring in a country.

  • Marianne Jenni took note of the bi-annual Oceania Swiss President Conference being, planned for 6-8 November 2026 in Brisbane (QLD).

• OSA President Lombardi stressed the financial constraints imposed by the Federal cost cutting measures which affects all facets of government. The Federal subsidy to the OSA will be curtailed by 1 % and further cuts by 2027 by some 10 %. Sponsorships are hard to come by and long-term supporter Swiss Tourism has cancelled their contributions. This means that some projects will be mothballed and the well frequented Youth Camps in Summer and Winter will be put in doubt. The previous annual (costly) Congress will be held only every four years. The Council of the Swiss Abroad will have 3 yearly meetings, the one in November on a virtual basis.

• The printed version of the Swiss Review will be maintained with 5 issues – each one having a regional section. The Swiss Review remains the most important link between the Swiss Abroad and the Federal Government for exchange of information.

  
  

• Importance of independent and high-quality information for the Swiss abroad. Swissinfo is part of SRG (Swiss Broadcasting Corporation), which is faced with budget cuts as part of the general cost cutting measures. OSA supports the services of Swissinfo and takes position in favour of Swissinfo in the current consultation process to the cost cutting measures.

• Ariane Rustichelli, Director of OSA, decided to retire with Lukas Weber selected as her successor by the OSA board. Ariane Rustichelli has shaped the organisation for 17 years—11 of them as Director. The board thanked her for her tireless and successful commitment to the Swiss Abroad. Among her many achievements, she oversaw the implementation of the Swiss Abroad Act, secured partnerships with banks to ensure Swiss citizens abroad could access banking services in Switzerland, drove the organisation’s digital transformation, and initiated its rebranding as "SwissCommunity.". The Australian Delegates thanked her for her services and gave her a present to mark our appreciation.

  
  

• Elections of the delegates of the Council of the Swiss Abroad in the different countries are in full swing. Australia for the third time conducts direct elections, and after 2017 is pleased to offer online voting again. All Swiss, who have their email registered with the Consulate General will receive an email with voting codes in the next few days. The ballot opens on 11 April and closes on 11 May. Australia holds 4 seats, in the council, thus voters can cast 4 votes.  Find out more about the Australian candidates on the SAA website.

The next session of the newly elected council of the Swiss Abroad will in Berne on the 22-23 August 2025. The meeting on the 23rd will be in the Nationalratssaal at the Federal Palace, with Maya Riniker, president of the National Council in attendance.

It was a pleasure to meet over 80 fellow delegates from all over the world, as well as members of the Swiss Parliament, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the OSA partner organisations including Swissinfo, Educationsuisse, BCGE and ZKB.  

Further Links:

• Press releasea OSA: New Director / CSA Meeting 20., 21. Maerz

• Echo der Zeit on Swiss thinking about possible return: https://www.srf.ch/audio/echo-der-zeit/wie-auslandschweizer-ueber-eine-moegliche-heimkehr-nachdenken?partId=x-yBwKBqIsBaE8tX2WU7OYra_II#autoplay

• Articles Swiss Info:

  • On Workshop: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-abroad/the-reputation-of-the-swiss-abroad-is-suffering-what-can-be-done/89044970

  • On new Director https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-abroad/lukas-weber-named-as-director-of-the-organisation-of-the-swiss-abroad/89037925

  • On meeting: https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/swiss-abroad/die-auslandschweizer-organisation-spürt-den-frühling/89047067

    
    

OSA Board and outgoing and new OSA Directors with Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and Director of FDFA Consular Directorate, Marianne Jenni. From left to right: Lucas Weber, Franz Muheim, Marianne Jenni, Carlo Sommaruga, Laurent Wehrli, Sonja Lengning, Ignazio Cassis, Filippo Lombardi, Dominique Baccanaud, David Moerker, Carmen Trochsler, Helen Freiermuth, Gian Franco Definiti, Ariane Rustichelli.

25. March 2025, Beat Knoblauch and Carmen Trochsler