The Swiss Federal Council aims to accumulate significant savings through implementation of these 60 strategic measures
The Swiss Federal Council has announced a series of adjustments across multiple sectors, aiming to stabilise federal finances from 2027. The package, known as the 'relief package 27', includes over 60 measures, more than half of which require legislative changes.
In the foreign affairs sector, the Federal Council has decided to renounce contributions to the Beitrag Ausbildung Programmschaffende and the Beiträge Verbreitung Programme in Bergregionen. This move is part of a broader strategy to streamline foreign affairs spending.
The transportation sector is also affected, with cuts to the Bundesbeitrags für Innosuisse and reductions in federal funding for Swiss airports serving regional interests (Regionalflughäfen auf Bundesinteressen).
The energy sector sees adjustments as well, with reductions in general road taxes (allgemeine Strassenbeiträge) and cuts to federal funding for regional airports serving national interests (Regionalflughäfen auf Bundesinteressen).
The Federal Council has also made adjustments in the foreign affairs sector, with the renunciation of contributions to sports facilities of national importance and further cuts via the budget and the financial plan.
In the culture sector, reductions are planned for the Finanzhilfen für die Sportförderung and the Mittel von Innotour. The environmental sector will experience cuts to the Verbundaufgaben im Umweltbereich and the Qualitäts- und Absatzförderung.
The Federal Council has made adjustments to the science sector, with cuts to the Beitrag Ausbildung Programmschaffende and the Beiträge Verbreitung Programme in Bergregionen. The agriculture sector will see the discontinuation of subsidies for livestock farming (Verzicht auf Beihilfen Viehwirtschaft) and the cessation of funding for fruit processing (Verzicht auf die Förderung der Obstverwertung).
The foreign affairs sector continues to be a focus, with the Federal Council renouncing contributions to education programmes and reducing the international offering of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG).
In the social sector, cuts are planned for subsidies for out-of-school child and youth support (Subventionen für ausserschulische Kinder- und Jugendförderung) and road maintenance (Beiträge für Hauptstrassen).
The Federal Council has made adjustments to the landscape sector, with reductions in landscape quality contributions (Landschaftsqualitätsbeiträge) by 50%. The integration policy sector will see the harmonisation of the duration for integration policy remuneration to 5 years.
The Federal Council has also made adjustments to the economy sector, with cuts to the ETH-Bereich, the NAF, and EnergieSchweiz. The customs sector will see an increase in the auctioning of customs contingents (Erhöhung Versteigerung Zollkontingente).
In the tax sector, there will be higher taxation of capital withdrawals from pension assets and the auctioning of import quotas in agriculture. An additional CHF 200 million is earmarked for new technologies.
The Federal Council has made adjustments to the law sector, with changes in the Subventionsgesetz and the Innovations- und Projektbeiträge in der Berufsbildung. The waste management sector will see a renunciation of waste management contributions (Verzicht auf Entsorgungsbeiträge).
Up to CHF 200 million per year from the CO2 levy can be used for replacing heating systems and renovating buildings, with equal contributions from the cantons. The Federal Council has made adjustments to the financial sector, with reductions in the soziodemografischen Lastenausgleich and the creation of a temporary hardship relief fund (Finanzausgleich: Kürzung des soziodemografischen Lastenausgleichs und Schaffung eines temporären Härtefallausgleichs).
The SRG's international offering, sports facilities, and federal staff are among the areas affected by the package. From 2027, federal employees will have to pay part of the risk premium for occupational pensions themselves.
The package is now being sent to Parliament for discussion, with the Council of States discussing it in the winter session and the National Council in spring 2026. The plan is for it to come into force at the beginning of 2027, subject to a popular vote. The savings volume of around 90% relates to expenditure, while CHF 340 million is to be achieved through additional revenue.
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