On Friday, 27 September 2024, the Swiss Parliament adopted amendments to the Loi sur l’encouragement de la recherche et de l’innovation (Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (LERI)). In accordance with the wishes of the Swiss Federal Council, a legal basis now exists for the development of a Plan sectoriel fédéral (Federal Sectoral Plan) regarding CERN’s buildings and installations.
Under this plan, which is currently being developed, the Federal Council intends to clarify the administrative procedures concerning land-use planning and improve the scheduling certainty of strategically important CERN projects that entail territorial development.
CERN participated in the consultation opened in March 2023 with a view to amending the LERI and subsequently appeared before the Science, Education and Culture Committee of the National Council (Lower Chamber of Parliament) in May 2024.
The adoption of the amended LERI by the Swiss Parliament is an important milestone. CERN appreciates the committment of the Swiss authorities, in their role as Host State, to science, as is reflected in the Federal Council’s Foreign Policy Strategy 2024–2027.
CERN will continue to cooperate closely with the authorities in the pursuit of their work with the aim of improving support for the Organization’s future projects, including the Future Circular Collider (FCC), in the event of its realisation, in accordance with the Federal Council’s decision of 10 December 2021.