Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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Ukraine war no threat to Swiss banks, says financial watchdog

2022-04-07

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2022-04-07

Switzerland’s financial market supervisor FINMA says the Russian invasion of Ukraine isn’t a wide-scale threat to Swiss financial firms’ business ties to Russia.

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Ukrainian refugees can benefit Swiss economy, says expert

2022-04-06

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2022-04-06

Switzerland can cope with a large number of Ukrainian refugees, and their skills can benefit the economy, says migration expert Thomas Kessler. “The Ukrainian women will provide new impetus in this country,” he told the SonntagsBlick newspaper. “Especially in the IT sector, the Ukrainians are more advanced than Switzerland. In addition, it is normal in Ukraine for women to study natural sciences.”

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Bankruptcies rise as coronavirus bail-outs phase out

2022-04-05

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2022-04-05

The number of companies and individuals declaring bankruptcy rose 9.1% last year, which coincided with a gradual withdrawal of state-backed financial support during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Ukraine refugees struggle to exchange cash into Swiss francs

2022-04-04

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2022-04-04

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees are finding that Swiss banks are refusing to convert the cash they brought with them into francs.

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Swiss privacy technology tackles rampant online intrusion

2022-04-03

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2022-04-03

Anyone using the internet is being watched, and possibly manipulated, via a trail of digital breadcrumbs known as metadata. Two Swiss companies, one backed by former United States military whistleblower Chelsea Manning, are setting up smokescreens to confuse prying eyes and protect web users from big tech companies and government surveillance.

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Switzerland backs European plans for joint gas storage

2022-04-02

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2022-04-02

Switzerland has signed a declaration along with six other European states in favour of pooling gas storage facilities. Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the declarationExternal link on Wednesday, pledging to work towards coordinating storage efforts on a regional level.

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Switzerland slaps more sanctions on Russia

2022-04-01

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2022-04-01

The Swiss government on Friday adopted additional sanctions against Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine but did not ban the Russian state TV channels Sputnik and Russia Today like the European Union.

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The birth of modern democracy in the heart of Europe

2022-03-29

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The "Swiss Revolution" brought democracy to Switzerland. It was an uprising against the aristocracy – and the beginning of a long journey that the country could only complete with foreign help. On a spring day in 1798, Peter Ochs of Basel declared the birth of the Helvetic Republic from a balcony of the Aarau city hall. There was great rejoicing on the streets because this marked the liberation of the central territories from their...

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Most Swiss would support tougher sanctions against Russia

2022-03-29

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2022-03-29

A new poll shows that a majority of the Swiss population would be in favour of tougher sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine, even if it results in higher energy costs in Switzerland.

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Swiss web TV channel to broadcast in Ukrainian

2022-03-28

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2022-03-28

Diaspora TV Switzerland launched a new service in Ukrainian on Sunday to help meet the information needs of refugees arriving from the war-torn country.

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Ukraine urges Switzerland to clamp down on Russian money

2022-03-28

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2022-03-28

An advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the Swiss should be more proactive in looking for Russian funds. But according to a legal expert, current regulations do not allow authorities or banks to do more active searches beyond what’s in their current registers.

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Credit Suisse Vice Chair Schwan steps down from board

2022-03-25

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2022-03-25

Credit Suisse announced on Monday that Vice-Chair Severin Schwan would not stand for re-election. This follows a reported rebellion by large shareholder groups at the Swiss bank. “Severin Schwan, who joined the Board in 2014 and has acted as Vice-Chair and Lead Independent Director since 2017, has decided not to stand for re-election,” Credit Suisse said in a statementExternal link on Monday.

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Switzerland sounds out Qatar over gas supplies

2022-03-24

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2022-03-24

Switzerland plans to open negotiations with Qatar over the potential delivery of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies. The Alpine state is scouting for new energy suppliers, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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What the Ukraine war means for Switzerland’s energy policy

2022-03-23

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2022-03-23

The war in Ukraine and consequent threat of energy insecurity is forcing many countries to reconsider their existing policies. The ripple effect has also reached Switzerland, which is already reassessing its gas supply for the coming winter. 

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Swiss act as early warning system in Bosnia

2022-03-22

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Swiss information gatherers are keeping a close eye on the situation in Bosnia & Herzegovina, as the country is facing a political crisis that some fear could lead to armed conflict. The Swiss Liaison and Observation Teams (LOT) in Mostar and Trebinje are part of the EUFOR peacekeeping mission.

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‘Next winter will be difficult in Europe without Russian gas’

2022-03-22

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2022-03-22

The United States wants to cut its dependence on Russian fuels. But Switzerland and Europe cannot completely do without Russian gas, says René Bautz, the CEO of Gaznat, which supplies high-pressure gas to western Switzerland, and president of the Global Gas Centre platform for the natural gas sector.

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‘Swiss neutrality is one of the foundations of our partnership with NATO’

2022-03-20

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2022-03-20

Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, the Swiss ambassador to NATO, Philippe Brandt, explains the importance of Switzerland’s partnership with the alliance, which he views as perfectly compatible with Swiss neutrality.

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Swiss Institute in New York appoints new director

2022-03-19

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2022-03-19

German-born Stefanie Hessler, 35, will head the Swiss art space starting in May. Her appointment is part of several rearrangements in institutions run by the pharma billionaire Maja Hoffmann.

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Switzerland’s S permit for refugees from Ukraine

2022-03-18

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People fleeing the war in Ukraine will be granted an S permit upon arrival in Switzerland. It's the first time this permit will be issued since its introduction in 1999.

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Swiss companies’ balancing act with Russia

2022-03-18

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2022-03-18

Big consumer brands are leaving Russia in droves but for many Swiss companies untangling ties isn’t that easy.  Jessica covers the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to big global companies and their impact in Switzerland and abroad. She’s always looking for a Swiss connection with her native San Francisco and will happily discuss why her hometown has produced some of the greatest innovations but can’t seem to solve its housing crisis.

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