Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Why Switzerland is considered a land of coffee

2026-05-22

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No coffee beans grow in Switzerland. Yet the country is the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee. How is that possible? Switzerland imports large quantities of green coffee beans and roasts them domestically. This process constitutes a “substantial transformation” of the product. Under international trade law, the coffee can therefore be classified as Swiss. But the coffee business also has a darker side. Historically, it is closely tied to...

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Truth or tale: can pharma companies set prices for new drugs as high as they want?

2026-05-20

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When a pharmaceutical company launches a new drug, they have an exclusive right to produce and sell it for a period of time. This gives them a lot of power to name their price. However, there are limits to this.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more. ⁠ #switzerland #swiss #pharma #drugprices --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective...

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Can CERN’s $19bn effort to rewrite physics survive a fracturing world?

2026-05-18

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The CERN particle physics research laboratory outside Geneva is pursuing its next chapter. ⚛️⁠ ⁠ The lab’s next-generation particle collider, the Future Circular Collider (FCC), has the backing of the scientific community and has passed a feasibility study conducted by 1,500 experts. ⁠ ⁠ What is rather less settled is how to pay for it.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more. ⁠ ⁠ #switzerland #swiss #cern #geneva #fcc⁠ ⁠ --- swissinfo.ch is the...

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New rules for civilian service? – Switzerland votes

2026-05-14

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In 2025, a record number of people were accepted into civilian service. The Swiss government and a majority in parliament believe that the high number of admissions to civilian service is problematic. The Swiss parliament wants to make it more difficult to switch from military to civilian service. There was a referendum against this proposal. Now the decision will be put to a vote on June 14. Read more about the topic:...

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Helvetistan, a key alliance for Switzerland

2026-05-13

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Helvetistan is an informal name that refers to a group of countries whose voice Switzerland represents at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two of the world's main multilateral financial institutions. Visit Swissinfo to read more. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For...

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Artificial placenta, persecution of Yenish and Sinti, and poll about immigration vote

2026-05-01

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The three news stories from Switzerland you shouldn't have missed this week: 1. The House of Representatives declared the Swiss persecution of Yenish and Sinti people to be a 'crime against humanity'. https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/various/treatment-of-sinti-and-yenish-is-a-crime-against-humanity/91326089 2. Researchers at the University of Bern will soon be able to test how medicines taken by pregnant women are transmitted to the unborn child,...

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What will be the next obesity blockbuster?

2026-04-24

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The latest weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have changed the lives of many people with obesity. What will the next generation of obesity drugs look like? --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:...

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‘No to ten million’ vote – should Switzerland cap its population?

2026-04-20

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On June 14, Swiss voters will head to the polls to decide on the “No to ten million” initiative, which seeks to cap immigration. What impact would such a restriction have on the country? --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe...

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Swiss police must disclose offenders’ nationality

2026-04-20

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Should the police disclose the nationalities of those arrested, suspect, perpetrators, and victims? --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Eierläset: when spring triumphs over winter in Swiss villages

2026-04-17

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When spring is just around the corner, winter is driven away in many places around the world. In northwestern Switzerland a special custom is practised: the Eierläset. Eggs take centre stage, but every village celebrates this ancient fertility custom a little differently: from sporty to very boisterous. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a...

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Israel’s death penalty, domestic violence hotline and a wealthy family’s donation plans

2026-04-10

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What do you think about this week's stories? Let us know in the comments. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Swiss mountain crack grows after extreme rainfall #switzerland

2026-04-07

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A 250-metre-long crack on a Valais mountainside has become a stark sign of the Alps’ growing vulnerability to extreme rainfall. The widening crack in the mountain has raised concerns of a potential landslide, and of extreme flooding in a nearby village.⁠ ⁠ Read more: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/climate-adaptation/swiss-mountain-crack-grows-after-extreme-rainfall/91194503 --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting...

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Truth or tale: can any foreigner place millions at a Swiss bank?

2026-03-26

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Scandals featuring foreign despots hiding assets in Switzerland have prompted some of you to ask if it is true that anyone can place huge sums of money in the country’s financial institutions.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more. ⁠ ⁠ #switzerland #swiss #swissbanks #banks #money⁠ --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on...

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Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy

2026-03-25

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In the latest episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, we're digging into the push to create a Swiss FabLab, a shared chip fabrication laboratory that brings public research and private industry together under the Swiss Chip Alliance. Our host JO Fahy is joined by Swissinfo.ch's business and tech specialist Matthew Allen to unpack what’s being proposed near Zurich, why it’s still at the conceptual phase, and what it could mean for...

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Building a Swiss FabLab: the future of Switzerland’s semiconductor strategy

2026-03-24

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Send us Fan Mail (https://www.buzzsprout.com/910414/fan_mail/new) In this episode of The Swiss Connection science podcast, we're digging into the push to create a Swiss FabLab, a shared chip fabrication laboratory that brings public research and private industry together under the Swiss Chip Alliance. Our host Jo Fahy is joined by swissinfo.ch's business and tech specialist Matthew Allen to unpack what’s being proposed near Zurich, why it’s...

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We travelled from Switzerland to Denmark by train – the journey took 24 hours

2026-03-23

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After the Swiss parliament cut funding for a Basel to Malmö night train, Swissinfo journalist Kristian Brandt tried a similar route with his daughter. What followed was a day-long journey that shows the pluses, minuses and new opportunities for this alternative to flying. Visit Swissinfo to read more. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a...

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Could direct democracy trip up Swiss trade deals?

2026-03-19

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As global trade rules fray, countries are scrambling to shore up export markets and diversify partners. For highly globalised, export-dependent Switzerland, there could be an added complication: the ballot box.⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read more about this. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events. For...

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What it takes for a referendum to be fair

2026-03-18

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Popular votes are held not only in democracies such as Switzerland, but also in semi-democratic and authoritarian countries. Can such referendums ever be fair?⁠ ⁠ Visit Swissinfo to read the full article. ⁠ ⁠ #switzerlandshorts #swiss #referendum #vote #democracy⁠ --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international...

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Climate solution series: how Bangladesh adapts to erosion, floods and rising seas

2026-03-17

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Where do people go when the water takes their land? Guided by a three-year ETH Zurich study and first-hand voices, we trace a pattern that defies the headlines: most climate migration is short and local, driven by community ties, scarce resources, and the will to stay near what remains.⁠ ⁠ Listen to the full episode to find out more about the climate challenges in Bangladesh. --- swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting...

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Climate solutions series: how does Switzerland deal with the food waste problem?

2026-03-10

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Send a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/910414/open_sms) A bin bag can tell you a lot about a country. We follow the trail of rubbish from Swiss kitchen cupboards and discover why one of Europe’s wealthiest nations still throws away so much edible food. With fresh data, on‑the‑ground auditing, and candid insights from practitioners, we break down the gap between lofty goals and everyday habits, and why households remain the...

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