Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

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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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Bar owner apologises to Crans-Montana fire victims

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

"My thoughts are constantly with the victims," Jessica Moretti, one of the owners of Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, told Swiss public television RTS on Friday. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox "It is an unimaginable tragedy," Moretti said after she and her co-owner husband, Jacques, were questioned in the town …

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Most Swiss banks expect slump in sustainable products

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

Some 86% of Swiss banks expect customer demand for sustainable financial products to stagnate or decline in the medium to long term, according to the findings of a survey conducted by the consulting firm EY. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to the study, sustainable investments have recently lost considerable …

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SWISS cancels more flights due to freezing weather conditions

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

The airline SWISS has had to cancel further flights due to the weather. Twelve individual flights were cancelled on Saturday alone, a spokesperson told the Keystone-SDA news agency. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The flights affected on Saturday are return flights from Zurich to Nice (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Düsseldorf (Germany), …

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Honorary consul proudly promotes Switzerland in southern France

2026-01-10

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2026-01-10

Geoffroy Baylaender has been a Swiss honorary consul in Montpellier, France, for two years. This hands-on role requires personal commitment, plus an ease with diplomatic protocol and delicate situations – all responsibilities that he embraces. “I’m proud of my country, and this position allows me to serve it in a new way. Before, it was …

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How wine and cheese help shape Swiss politics

2026-01-09

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2026-01-09

Aperitifs are more central to political life in French-speaking Switzerland than in the German-speaking regions, reflecting cultural differences. In the middle of the vineyards, with views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Chablais mountains, stands the rustic tavern of the L’Ovaille wine estate in the village of Yvorne. Here, Vaud agricultural minister Valérie Dittli …

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Crans-Montana tragedy: ‘Our hearts go out to you’, say Swiss Abroad

2026-01-09

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2026-01-09

Switzerland is observing a national day of mourning on January 9 in honour of the victims of the deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana. The tragedy in the Swiss ski resort has also deeply affected Swiss citizens around the world. Messages left in the special online book of condolences launched by the authorities … Continue...

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