Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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WEF chairman welcomes Trump visit but doesn’t expect any ‘miracles’

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

The new co-chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), André Hoffmann, says he has no great expectations of Donald Trump's appearance at the forum. "I don't expect any miracles," said the heir to Swiss pharma firm Roche on Thursday in the business newspaper Handelszeitung. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox …

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Swiss cantons strengthen tax attractiveness for companies

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

Companies in Switzerland will benefit from tax relief between 2023 and 2025 as a result of changes to tax law. As a result, the cantons are strengthening their tax appeal for companies. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In many international locations, companies are now being taxed more heavily. This …

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French President Emmanuel Macron to attend WEF in Davos

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

French President Emmanuel Macron will be attending the World Economic Forum next Tuesday, the Elysée announced on Wednesday. No information was given on a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump, who is due to speak at Davos on Wednesday. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The French president will …

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Greenpeace reports sharp rise in private jets to WEF in Davos

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

More and more top managers and political figures are travelling to the World Economic Forum in Davos by private jet, according to an analysis by Greenpeace. Compared to 2024 and 2025, the number of private flights registered at the surrounding airports increased by 10%. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox …

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Swiss competition regulator investigates Microsoft for price hikes

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

The Swiss Competition Commission (ComCo) has opened an investigation into US software giant Microsoft over recent increases in licence fees. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox These could be indications of unauthorised restrictions of competition, wrote ComCo in a press release on Wednesday. A preliminary investigation has therefore been opened. …

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Trump’s peace is not working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo  

2026-01-15

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2026-01-15

The American president has declared peace but violence and greed still prevail in the resource-rich Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The civilian population continues to pay the price for conflicting geopolitical interests. Despite the precarious security situation, Switzerland has stepped up its humanitarian aid. “Bombs are still falling, and we don’t know who is …

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ICE shooting, Fed probe, and withdrawal from international organisations

2026-01-14

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2026-01-14

Welcome to our press review of events in the United States. Every Wednesday I look at how the Swiss media have reported and reacted to three major stories in the US – in politics, finance and science. It was a where-to-begin situation this week: US involvement in Iran, Venezuela and Greenland was all making Swiss …

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In Porto, an unusual Swiss coat of arms stands out in the Stock Exchange Palace

2026-01-14

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2026-01-14

In the Courtyard of Nations at the Palácio da Bolsa, a white cross on a red background immediately catches the eye. The Swiss coat of arms is a 19th-century tribute to the trade relations between the Swiss Confederation and the Kingdom of Portugal. Beyond its economic significance, these commercial ties also have historical and artistic …

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How a project in Peru supports sustainable cocoa – and serves Swiss interests

2026-01-13

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2026-01-13

Cocoa is in high demand and production is booming. In Peru, Switzerland is helping farmers grow cocoa more sustainably, while also ensuring Swiss chocolate producers have easy access to it. But funding for such projects in Latin America is shrinking. Luis Beltrán Vásquez, 78, has spent his entire life farming in Peru, mostly by raising …

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UBS boss Sergio Ermotti plans to step down in April 2027

2026-01-13

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2026-01-13

Race for coveted role comes as bank fights Swiss government over threat of more stringent capital buffers. UBS chief executive Sergio Ermotti is planning to step down in April 2027, firing the starting gun on the race for one of the biggest jobs in global banking. Ermotti, who returned to run UBS in 2023 following …

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Swiss sewing machine maker ponders Thailand production

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Swiss sewing machine manufacturer Bernina is considering relocating production to Thailand. Around 40 out of a total of 334 employees would be affected. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox United States tariffs and the strong Swiss franc are causing the traditional company in canton Thurgau great difficulties. Bernina generates approximately two-thirds …

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Swiss bank industry rejects higher capital requirements for UBS

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

The Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) strongly opposes the extra capital requirements for UBS being demanded by the government. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the SBA, the measures unnecessarily further risk tightening the already stringent Swiss requirements. In a position statement today, director Roman Studer calls for an overview …

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Britain advises of heightened travel risk to Switzerland

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Britain no longer considers Switzerland one of the safest travel destinations in the world. The British government advises vigilance due to increased theft and the global threat of terrorism. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The magazine Travel and Tour World was the first to report on the tightening of the …

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Swiss army deploys to World Economic Forum

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

The Swiss army has again deployed for security at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The majority of troops will arrive on Monday after parliament approved the deployment of up to 5,000 members of the armed forces for the WEF meeting from January 13-29. …

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Switzerland draws up strategy for better crop protection

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Switzerland has drawn up a strategy to better cultivate vegetables, pulses and fruit in the face of new pressures. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This is due to various increasing difficulties such as the withdrawal of authorisations of pesticide active ingredients, the lack of alternative control methods and the appearance …

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Swiss electricity providers warn of 2050 supply problems

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Delays in grid expansion and increasing demand threatens Switzerland's stated electricity supply targets for 2050, according to the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (AES). +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Switzerland is set to reach just 69 of its 100 indexed targets, says AES. By 2035, this is likely to expand …

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Explainer: Swiss to vote on initiative to cut media licence fee

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

On March 8, the Swiss will vote on an initiative that wants to almost halve the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)’s television and radio licence fee for households and exempt companies from paying it. Critics say the cuts would be too drastic, arguing that national cohesion and democracy are at risk. The initiative is one of …

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Swiss Alpine solar farms show promise – and limits

2026-01-12

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2026-01-12

Switzerland is developing large solar farms in the mountains to increase the generation of renewable power, especially in winter. They are being rolled out under the federal “Solar Express” scheme, launched in 2022, which has met with mixed success. An analysis by Swiss public TV, SRF. The Swiss government launched the "Solar Express" initiative (see …

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Proposal for stricter capital requirements for UBS faces opposition

2026-01-11

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2026-01-11

The Swiss government's planned tightening of capital regulations for big bank UBS is under pressure. This is reflected in the political reactions following the end of the consultation period. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The Swiss government wants internationally active, systemically important banks to be required to fully capitalise their …

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Most Swiss political parties object to proposal to tax electric vehicles

2026-01-11

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2026-01-11

The Swiss government's proposal to impose a new tax on electric vehicles by 2030 is causing an uproar. The political parties, the Transport and Environment Association and the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) are all calling for changes or to reject the proposal. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The consultation …

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