- Proton CEO confirmed that the company would leave Switzerland if the new controversial surveillance rules adopt
- A modification of the current surveillance law would oblige VPNs and messaging applications to identify and keep 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 the new controversial surveillance rules adopt.
Switzerland plans to modify its surveillance law, experts warning against the risk of guaranteeing encryption and anonymity online in the country. More specifically, the amendment could require all VPN services, messaging applications and social networks to identify and keep user data – an obligation which is now limited to mobile networks and Internet service providers.
The company behind one of the best vpn and email services, Proton, is ready to retaliate on behalf of private life of more than 100 million users. Other Swiss companies, such as NYMVPN, also do the same.
No choice to leave
In an interview with RTS (Swiss Radio Television) on May 13, 2025, Proton CEO, Andy Yen, criticized the amendment proposed as a “major violation of the right to privacy” which will also harm the country’s reputation and its ability to compete on an international level.
“This revision is trying to implement something that has been deemed illegal in the EU and the United States. The only European country with an almost equivalent law is Russia,” said Yen.
The amendment aims to extend the number of service providers intended to include “derivative service providers”. Above all, the new provisions will introduce three new types of information and two types of surveillance.
If the modifications pass, Proton will be forced to modify the way in which the encryption of Proton Mail and Proton VPN, in parallel with its strict policies without Log -Log – something that the company is not willing to do.
“I think we would have no choice but to leave Switzerland,” said Yen. “The law would become almost identical to that in force today in Russia. This is an untenable situation. We would be less confidential as a business in Switzerland than Google, based in the United States. It is therefore impossible for our commercial model.”
In Switzerland, the new version of the surveillance law aims to make it impossible for Proton, Threema and @ nymproject to operate in Switzerland. We are in the consultation phase. We will fight. https://t.co/bcmbxzipfcMarch 25, 2025
Proton is not, however, the only one to feel this way.
A new actor in the VPN world, NYMVPN has also publicly fought the Swiss government’s plans from the start.
Speaking to Techradar, the co-founder and chief of NYM, Alexis Roussel, confirmed that Nym would do the same and leave Switzerland if the new surveillance rules are applied.
What is the next step?
While public consultations ended on May 6, 2025, we will now have to wait and see what the Swiss government decides.
Nevertheless, Roussel confirmed to Techradar that there had been a significant boost of the political parties and Swiss societies.
Some cantons, including Geneva, have even called the right to digital integrity as an argument against these rules. Roussel was the main initiative of the initiative which introduced this new right to protect confidentiality and online data from citizens – in Geneva in 2023 and Neuchâtel in 2024 – with more than 90% consensus.
Yen has also told RTS to be more optimistic, despite the way this case shows the need for a more balanced approach when it comes to developing new laws.
“If we can lead Bern to adopt common sense rules that allow companies like Proton to be competitive in Switzerland and in the world, I will remain, I will take my passport and continue to invest in Switzerland,” he added.
