- The Proton CEO confirmed that the company will leave Switzerland if new controversial surveillance rules pass
- An amendment to the current Surveillance Law would require that the VPN and messaging applications identify and retain the user data
- Another Swiss company, NYMVPN, is also ready to leave the country instead of undermining its privacy and security infrastructure
Proton confirms that the company will leave Switzerland if new controversial surveillance rules pass.
Switzerland is considering amending his surveillance law, with experts warning against the risk of ensuring encryption and anonymity online in the country. Specifically, the amendment may require that all VPN services, messaging applications and social networks identify and retain user data, an obligation that is now limited to mobile networks and internet service providers.
The firm behind one of the best VPN and encryption email services, Proton, is ready to fight in the name of the privacy of its more than 100 million users. Other companies based in Swiss, such as NYMVPN, are also doing the same.
There is no choice but to leave
In an interview with RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse) on May 13, 2025, the CEO of Proton Andy Yen criticized the amendment proposed as a “great violation of the right to privacy” that will also damage the country’s reputation and its ability to compete internationally.
“This review tries to implement something that has been considered illegal in the EU and the United States. The only country in Europe with approximately equivalent law is Russia,” said Yen.
The amendment aims to expand the number of service providers aimed at including the so -called “derived service providers.” Crucially, the new provisions will introduce three new types of information and two types of monitoring.
If the changes pass, Proton will be forced to modify how Proton Mail and Proton VPN encrypt, along with their strict non-Log policies, something that the company is not willing to do.
“I think we would have no choice but to leave Switzerland,” Yen said. “The law would become almost identical to the current today in Russia. It is an unsustainable situation. It would be less confidential as a company in Switzerland than Google, based in the United States. Therefore, it is impossible for our business model.”
In Switzerland, the new version of the Surveillance Law aims to make Proton, Threema and@nymproject operate from Switzerland. We are in the consultation phase. Let’s fight. https://t.co/bcmbxzipfcMarch 25, 2025
However, Proton does not feel alone in this way.
A new player in the world of VPN, NYMVPN has also been fighting publicly in the plans of the Swiss government from the beginning.
Speaking with Techradar, the co -founder and director of Operations of NYM, Alexis Roussel, confirmed that NYM will do the same and leave Switzerland if the new surveillance rules are applied.
What follows?
As public consultations ended on May 6, 2025, we will now have to wait and see what the Swiss government decides.
However, Roussel confirmed to Techradar that there has been a significant thrust of the Swiss political parties and companies.
Some cantons, including Geneva, have even requested the right to digital integrity as an argument against these rules. Roussel was the main creator of the initiative that introduced this new right to protect the privacy and online data of citizens, in Geneva in 2023 and Neuchâtel in 2024, with more than 90% consensus.
Yen also told RTS that it was more optimistic, despite pointing out how this issue shows the need for a more balanced approach when it comes to developing new laws.
“If we can get Bern adopt common sense rules that allow companies such as Proton to be competitive in Switzerland and around the world, I will stay, I will take my passport and continue investing in Switzerland,” he added.
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