Federal Council approves agreement on management of research data with the People’s Republic of China
Berne, 28.10.2026 — On 28 October, the Federal Council approved the Agreement on the Cross-Border Management of Scientific Data in the Context of Joint Research and Development Activities between Switzerland and China. It will be signed at the end of October during Federal President Guy Parmelin’s mission to China.
In recent years, China has enacted a series of laws and regulations that have implications for cross-border research. Data are classified according to significance for China under legislation on cybersecurity, data security and protection of personal data. As such, a number of measures have been taken to manage scientific data. The export of scientific data abroad may be prevented or subject to certain conditions.
Key provisions for the cross-border exchange of scientific data
The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), with support from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), has negotiated a mechanism with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology that is intended to enable Swiss researchers to work with their Chinese partners under a more secure legal framework. Both sides have agreed on a legally binding international agreement that sets out the key principles governing the cross-border exchange of scientific data.
Under the agreement, it is the responsibility of the Chinese project partners to clarify, before and during research collaboration (i.e. not just after a collaborative project has ended) whether the data generated is classified as ‘sensitive’ under Chinese law, thus preventing data export to Switzerland. In such cases, Swiss researchers have the option of withdrawing from the project.
Valuable cooperation with China in education and research
Research cooperation between Switzerland and China is governed by a bilateral agreement signed by the two countries in 1989. On this basis, they have gradually expanded their cooperation in education and research. Due to the uncertainties arising from new Chinese data protection laws, the SNSF suspended its bilateral calls for project proposals in 2021. They are set to resume once the present agreement has been signed.