The Federal Assembly's deliberations on the modernisation of Swiss patent law have been concluded. The adoption of the bill in the final vote on 15 March 2024 will lead to greater legal certainty and bring the Swiss patent system into line with international practice.

With a share of over 48 percent of total Swiss exports, the Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences industries continue to prove very resistant to the crisis and are the driving force of the Swiss export economy. The European Union remains the most important trading partner.

Today’s communication by Eawag regarding its study on the pollution of Swiss waters by the chemical and pharmaceutical industry gives rise to misconceptions. Measures already taken as a result of the study are also only mentioned in passing.

Pia Guggenbühl will join the Management Board at scienceindustries as Head of Public Affairs and Communications. She will represent the political interests of the Swiss Business Association Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences and will in future also serve as the media contact person.

Exports for Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences rose to CHF 116.40 billion in 2020 in spite of the COVID-19 crisis. Switzerland's foreign trade benefited significantly from the exports of our industry, which increased to 51.7% last year.

At the Annual General Assembly of scienceindustries, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin and representatives of the Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences industry discussed the effects of the termination and responsible business initiatives and concluded that both initiatives should be rejected.

When it comes to competitiveness, the chemical-pharmaceutical industry ranks among the world's elite. But this leading position of Switzerland’s biggest export and research industry is jeopardised by the initiative to limit the free movement of persons and the responsible business initiative.

Exports for Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences improved to a new record high of CHF 114.56 billion in 2019. The share of total Swiss exports rose to 47.3%, whereby this industry now earns nearly one out of every two francs in foreign trade. The US continued to expand its position as the biggest purchaser of Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical products, but the countries in the world’s other regions also made an important contribution to the growth in Swiss exports in 2019.

Zurich, 1 February 2019

Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences as biggest Swiss export industry continues to grow

Exports for Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences improved to a new record high of CHF 104.33 billion in 2018. At 44.7%, the share of total Swiss exports was on a par with the previous year, so that Chemistry Pharma Life Sciences is still the largest export industry in Switzerland. The US continued to expand its position as the biggest purchaser of chemical and pharmaceutical products from Switzerland, while exports to the UK fell almost by half.

Further increase in foreign trade for Switzerland's largest export industry

Exports for Chemistry Pharma Biotech improved to CHF 98.5 billion in 2017. At 44.7%, the share of total Swiss exports was on a par with the previous year, so that Chemistry Pharma Biotech is still the largest export industry in Switzerland. Although pharma exports could not maintain the gains posted in the previous year, they still grew by CHF 3.4 billion to CHF 83.8 billion. At 5.6%, exports by the other Chemistry Pharma Biotech segments increased slightly to CHF 14.7 billion, while their share of the exports of Chemistry Pharma Biotech remains 15%.