Switzerland's Commission for Historically Problematic Cultural Heritage has begun accepting individual requests, opening a national route for claims concerning objects linked to the National Socialist era or to colonial contexts. The milestone, announced on 1 October, comes just six months after the body started its work. The commission adopted its Rules of Procedure at its third meeting on 18 September 2026. The rules, published with explanatory notes on the commission's website, set out how cases will be assessed. Each procedure begins with a request from one or both parties; the commission first explores whether an amicable settlement can be reached through mediation, particularly where positions have not yet hardened. Only if mediation fails does the process move towards a recommendation. Recommendations follow internationally recognised standards but are not legally binding. Alongside restitution, the commission can propose other forms of just and fair settlement. The body says it is intended especially for cases where years of negotiation have failed despite considerable perseverance by those involved, offering a structured, independent and transparent framework. Alongside the procedural rules, the commission is pursuing two foundational projects. One concerns human and ancestral remains — skulls, skeletons and tissue samples — held in Swiss collections, including museums and universities, some originating in colonial or otherwise unjust contexts. The commission sees a systematic inventory and research into how these remains were acquired as necessary groundwork. The second project opens a dialogue with museums on their responsibilities and due-diligence standards for historically problematic holdings. At its September meeting the commission also heard from the Swiss National Library, ETH Zurich, the Swiss National Museum and the Federal Office of Culture on how federal institutions handle such collections.