National exhibitions: yes to the message, no co-financing until 2040 (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Law on National Exhibitions: message approved on 26 August 2026
• No federal co-financing before 2040, confirmed by the Federal Council
• Maximum federal contribution: 30% of eligible costs
• Parliament may decide whether and when to co-finance, but not before 2035

Key facts

• What: Approval of the message on the new federal law on national exhibitions
• When: 26 August 2026
• Where: Bern
• Who: Federal Council
• Mandate: CSEC-S Motion 23.3966, approved by Parliament in March 2024
• Time limit: Federal co-financing excluded before 2040
• Maximum federal share: 30% of eligible costs
• Opinions collected in consultation: 52

The decision of August 26, 2026

The Federal Council approved on 26 August 2026 the message regarding the new Federal Law on the Promotion of National Exhibitions. The text of the law lays the foundations for possible financial support by the Confederation for future national exhibitions, thus fulfilling the mandate of a motion approved by Parliament.

At the same time, the Executive confirmed its decision, taken in June 2025, not to co-finance such an exposure before 2040. The choice reflects the current spending priorities of the Confederation: in the coming years there are no resources to commit to a major event of this magnitude, even if the legal framework conditions are still defined.

The role of

Operational details

What concretely changes for Cantons and Municipalities

The new law redraws the perimeter of who can apply for federal funds for a national exposure and under what conditions. Before this message, the rules were not codified in a single text: each initiative was based on political decisions on a case-by-case basis. With the new federal law on the promotion of national exhibitions, the picture becomes explicit: no federal money without a concrete project, without a cantonal and municipal quota at least equivalent, and without a decision in principle of Parliament.

For a Canton wishing to apply to host a national exhibition, the message clarifies three operational aspects. First, the project must be sufficiently mature before applying for federal co-financing. Second: Cantons and Municipalities must guarantee at least 30% of the eligible costs, equal to the maximum federal share, so in fact the required co-financing ratio is one to one. Third: the Confederation does not issue deficit guarantees, exposing the promoters to the risk of covering any budget holes.

The calendar that comes out of the message

The roadmap set by the message is clear. The decision of parliamentary principle cannot be proposed before 2035. Federal co-financing, therefore, cannot materialize before 2040. For those who today think about the next national exhibition, it means taking into account a horizon

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Key points

What happens now: the institutional roadmap

After the approval of the dispatch of 26 August 2026, the text goes to the Federal Assembly. The relevant parliamentary committees will examine it, and then the plenary of each Chamber will vote on it. Only after the law's possible entry into force will the Federal Council be able to propose, not before 2035, a principle decision to Parliament on a single national exposition project.

For the promoting bodies, the operational path is structured as follows:

1. Define a concrete project with costs, timelines, and territorial impact. 2. Ensure the formal involvement of the host Cantons and Municipalities, with a co-financing share at least equivalent to the federal contribution requested. 3. Submit the application when the project is sufficiently mature, at a time when the political and economic framework makes a principle decision by Parliament plausible. 4. Plan in the financial framework for the absence of a deficit guarantee from the Confederation: any shortfalls remain the responsibility of the promoting bodies, the Cantons, and the Municipalities.

What to watch in the coming months

The first concrete milestone is the start of the parliamentary process. The Science, Education and Culture Committees (CSEC) and the Finance Committees will be called upon to examine the dispatch. The umbrella associations of the Municipalities and Cantons, which took part in the consultation, will follow the dossier to see whether the criticisms of the funding model will lead to amendments.

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