Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

Swiss sewing machine maker ponders Thailand production

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 …

Read More »

Swiss bank industry rejects higher capital requirements for UBS

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 …

Read More »

Britain advises of heightened travel risk to Switzerland

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 …

Read More »

Swiss army deploys to World Economic Forum

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. …

Read More »

Switzerland draws up strategy for better crop protection

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 …

Read More »

Swiss electricity providers warn of 2050 supply problems

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 …

Read More »

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

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 …

Read More »

Swiss Alpine solar farms show promise – and limits

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 …

Read More »

Proposal for stricter capital requirements for UBS faces opposition

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 …

Read More »

Most Swiss political parties object to proposal to tax electric vehicles

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 …

Read More »

Bar owner apologises to Crans-Montana fire victims

"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 …

Read More »

Most Swiss banks expect slump in sustainable products

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 …

Read More »

SWISS cancels more flights due to freezing weather conditions

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), …

Read More »

Honorary consul proudly promotes Switzerland in southern France

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 …

Read More »

How wine and cheese help shape Swiss politics

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 …

Read More »

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

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...

Read More »

Swiss National Bank makes CHF26 billion profit

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has once again made a high profit in 2025. The government and cantons will benefit accordingly. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Specifically, according to provisional calculations, the SNB is reporting a profit of around CHF26 billion ($32.5 billion) for 2025. In 2024, it reported a …

Read More »

Freeze forces SWISS to cancel dozens of flights

Swiss International Air Lines has cancelled 57 flights since the beginning of the year due to the weather. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The airline expects further cancellations in the coming days due to the current weather conditions in Europe. A total of around 7,430 passengers were affected by the …

Read More »

Swiss pharma industry braced for upheaval

United States trade policy has exposed the Swiss pharmaceutical industry to a period of upheaval, according to Interpharma, which represents Switzerland's research-based pharma firms. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Switzerland is currently standing at a crossroads, said Interpharma president Jörg-Michael Rupp stated at the association’s annual media conference. + How …

Read More »

Swiss banks less optimistic due to lower interest rates

The fall in interest rates is putting Swiss banks under pressure, according to the new EY Banking Barometer. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Just under half of banks expect operating results to decline in 2025, although a majority expect margins in the interest business to stabilise. + Have foreign leaders …

Read More »