A quieter fortnight than the last one, with one strong signal from Brussels. On 19 October, the Council of the European Union adopted a position that would make the whole hemp plant, flowers included, an agricultural product. In Switzerland, the future cannabis products act remains with a subcommittee, which meets on 3 November. In Italy, the Constitutional Court has postponed its review of the flower ban to February 2027. In the United States, the first federal deadline falls on 12 November. Here is what matters, and what it means for CBD products sold in Switzerland.
On this page
- The fortnight at a glance
- Switzerland: the cannabis bill moves forward behind closed doors
- European Union: the Council wants to recognise the whole hemp plant
- Italy: the ruling on hemp flowers will wait until February 2027
- United States: first deadline on 12 November
- What this means for you in Switzerland
- Frequently asked questions
The fortnight at a glance
| Country | What happened | Date | Where things stand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | No public decision on the bill, a new subcommittee meeting on the calendar | 22 October to 1 November 2026 | Subcommittee on 3 November, committee on 19 and 20 November |
| United States | A Congressional Research Service report confirms that no further delay has been passed | 28 October 2026 | Deadlines of 12 November and 11 December unchanged |
| European Union | The Council wants to bring the whole hemp plant into the common organisation of agricultural markets | 19 October 2026 | Negotiations with the European Parliament still to open |
| Italy | The Constitutional Court hearing set for 21 October did not take place | Postponement decided on 1 October 2026 | Review set for 9 February 2027 |
Switzerland: the cannabis bill moves forward behind closed doors
The cannabis products bill has had no public step since our last edition. The text, which stems from parliamentary initiative 20.473, has been reworked since May 2026 by a subcommittee of the National Council’s Committee for Social Security and Health (SGK-N/CSSS-N).
The parliamentary calendar sets the next dates. The “Cannabis regulation” subcommittee meets on 3 November. The full committee then meets on 19 and 20 November, and again on 14 and 15 January 2027. These meetings are held behind closed doors, and the committee reports once its work is done. In May, IG Hanf, the industry association, did not expect a revised draft before the end of 2026.
A survey of the Swiss CBD market
In mid-October, IG Hanf and the research institute Qualitest launched an online survey of people who use CBD products in Switzerland. It is anonymous and takes 15 to 20 minutes. Responses are stored on servers located in Switzerland. Participants receive a 15% discount voucher, valid until 30 November 2026 at participating companies.
European Union: the Council wants to recognise the whole hemp plant
This is the key development of the period. On 19 October, the EU Council adopted its position on the future common organisation of agricultural markets, linked to the 2028-2034 EU budget. For hemp, the text extends the scope to flowers and leaves, in addition to fibre and seeds.
Three conditions apply to producing and marketing this hemp:
- a variety listed in the common catalogue of varieties;
- seed certified under Directive 2002/57/EC;
- a delta-9 THC content of no more than 0.3%.
Member states keep control over end use. The text applies without prejudice to national laws on the matter. A recital refers to the Kanavape ruling of the EU Court of Justice of 19 November 2020, under which CBD from legal hemp cannot be treated as a narcotic.
The text is still a negotiating position. The Council presidency now has to open talks with the European Parliament, and only their final agreement will become law. Seen from Switzerland, the approach looks familiar: low-THC hemp flower is a legal, regulated product here, with a wider benchmark of 1% total THC.
Italy: the ruling on hemp flowers will wait until February 2027
The Italian hemp sector was waiting for 21 October. On that day, the Constitutional Court was due to review article 18 of the security decree. In force since 12 April 2025, it bans trade in hemp flowers. The hearing did not take place: on 1 October, the Court had already postponed it to 9 February 2027.
The reason is procedural. The Court wants to deal jointly with questions referred by three courts, in Brindisi, Trani and Brescia. Until then, article 18 remains in force. In July 2026, however, the Court of Cassation ruled that a flower does not automatically become a narcotic and that the prosecution must prove it. A question is also pending before the EU Court of Justice (case C-716/25).
United States: first deadline on 12 November
As we reported two weeks ago, the new federal definition of hemp comes into force in two stages: 12 November for cannabinoids the plant does not produce naturally, 11 December for everything else.
The new element is a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report dated 28 October. It confirms that no law has been passed to push these dates back again. Four bills to delay or repeal the change remain in committee. The report also notes that the FDA has still not published the cannabinoid lists it was due to issue before February 2026.
What this means for you in Switzerland
Nothing that happened this fortnight changes the framework for CBD products sold in Switzerland. Below 1% total THC, hemp falls outside the Narcotics Act, and the future cannabis law does not cover these products. The EU Council position does not apply in Switzerland. It does show, however, that Europe is moving towards an approach already in place here: low-THC hemp flower treated as an agricultural product.
Good to know
To choose a CBD product with confidence, ask for its certificate of analysis. Issued by a laboratory, this document shows the CBD and total THC content of the batch. It lets you check that the product meets the Swiss benchmark of 1% total THC.
Conclusion
Switzerland is moving quietly on psychoactive cannabis, and its CBD framework remains stable. The next dates to watch: 3 November for the subcommittee, 12 November in the United States, 19 and 20 November for the SGK-N, 11 December in the United States and 9 February 2027 in Rome. We will take stock again next month.
Our laboratory
The Green Lab is a Swiss laboratory based in Gland, in the canton of Vaud. We closely follow the Swiss and European legal framework so that our products remain compliant with the law in force. Every month, we sum up here the news that matters for the hemp sector.
Frequently asked questions
What does the EU Council position on hemp provide?
Adopted on 19 October 2026, it brings all parts of the hemp plant, flowers and leaves included, into the common organisation of agricultural markets. The conditions: a variety from the common catalogue, certified seed and no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC. Member states keep their own rules on end use. The text still has to be negotiated with the European Parliament.
Does the European position on hemp apply in Switzerland?
No. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and applies its own framework. CBD products containing less than 1% total THC fall outside the Narcotics Act. The European approach is still worth following, as it brings EU law closer to an approach Switzerland already applies to hemp flower.
Where does the Swiss cannabis products bill stand?
A subcommittee of the SGK-N has been reworking the bill since May 2026, based on parliamentary initiative 20.473. It meets on 3 November 2026, and the full committee on 19 and 20 November. The Federal Council’s opinion, both chambers and a possible referendum will follow. No date of entry into force has been set.
Is CBD affected by the future Swiss cannabis law?
No. The bill targets psychoactive cannabis. Its explanatory report provides for keeping the current threshold and excluding low-THC hemp products. CBD products containing less than 1% total THC therefore remain subject to the rules that already apply, depending on the type of product.
Why has Italy not yet ruled on hemp flowers?
The Constitutional Court was due to review article 18 of the security decree, which bans trade in flowers, on 21 October 2026. It postponed the hearing to 9 February 2027 in order to deal jointly with three cases from Brindisi, Trani and Brescia. Until then the ban remains in force, even though several courts have ordered seized goods to be returned.
What happens in the United States on 12 November 2026?
Cannabinoids that the cannabis plant does not produce naturally lose their federal hemp status. The rest of the new definition comes into force on 11 December, with a cap of 0.4 mg of total THC per container for finished products. As of 28 October, no law had pushed these dates back.
What is a certificate of analysis?
It is a document issued by a laboratory for a specific batch. It shows, among other things, the CBD and total THC content, which lets you check that the product meets the Swiss benchmark of 1% total THC. Ask your seller for it: a reliable manufacturer provides it without difficulty, often online, batch by batch.
