Tag Archive: Latest news

‘Serious failings’ at online vaccination registry, says federal commissioner

2021-09-12

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2021-09-12

A federal investigator has found “serious” technical failures at voluntary vaccination registry mesvaccins.ch, which was closed in May following data security concerns.

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Swiss think it’s vital that other people reduce CO2 emissions

2021-08-04

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2021-08-04

A majority (70%) of Swiss believe it’s important to avoid emissions in their everyday lives, although fewer are likely to back up their views with action, according to a survey.

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Rising numbers of hikers and bikers boost Swiss economy

2021-08-03

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2021-08-03

Numbers engaging in outdoor activities like walking, cycling or mountain biking continued to rise in Switzerland in 2019, the Federal Office for Roads (ASTRA) has reported. This is also good news for the economy.

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Honey production collapses in Switzerland

2021-07-22

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2021-07-22

The short spring and wet summer means Swiss bees have produced ten times less honey than usual. As a result the price of honey is set to increase. After last year’s exceptional harvest, 2021 is looking very meagre: while a hive normally produces 15-20 kilos of honey, the current figure is 0-3 kilos, Swiss public radio, RTS, reported on Thursday.

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Shares in Picasso painting go up for grabs in blockchain sale

2021-07-17

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2021-07-17

Fans of Pablo Picasso will soon be able to own a share in one of his paintings for less than $6,000 (CHF5,500) – although that won’t actually buy them the right to see the work, which will be stored under lock and key in Switzerland.

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Bern braces itself for another ‘flood of the century’

2021-07-15

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2021-07-15

Canton Bern expects water levels on Lake Thun, Lake Biel and in the city of Bern to significantly exceed flood limits in the coming days. On Lake Biel it’s possible the situation will be similar to the flood of the century in 2005.

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Tax Deal: Small Countries ‘Should not be Forgotten’ says Swiss Minister

2021-07-12

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2021-07-12

The interests of small innovative countries must be taken into account in international corporate tax measures, says Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer, who has been attending the G20 meeting in Italy. Tax was a key issue at the two-day meeting of finance ministers and central bankers from the group of 20 major economies, which wrapped up on Saturday.

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Climate Scientist: More Urgency Needed over Climate Crisis

2021-07-12

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2021-07-12

Climate change is causing extreme weather, also in Switzerland. A climate taskforce – like the Covid 19 science task force – makes sense, a leading Swiss climate scientist says.

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CEOs Profit as Workers Suffer from Pandemic, says Union

2021-06-29

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2021-06-29

While the Covid-19 pandemic has caused existential hardship for many employees, CEOs and shareholders have “shamelessly helped themselves”, according to a union study. “The pay gap remains wide open at a very high level,” trade union Unia wrote in its annual pay gap studyExternal link published on Tuesday.

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UBS Boss says Switzerland is Falling Behind on Structural Change

2021-06-28

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2021-06-28

Swiss banks have some catching up to do when it comes to structural change and digitalisation, says Ralph Hamers, CEO of Swiss bank UBS. In his opinion structural change has taken place much faster in other countries and industries than in Switzerland.

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Airbus Launches Counter-Offensive on Fighter Jet Contract

2021-06-28

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2021-06-28

Ahead of the Swiss government’s decision on a major fighter jet contract, Airbus has made an appeal to the Swiss government to choose a European firm after leaked information from the government revealed US firm Lockheed Martin was out ahead of competitors.

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‘Switzerland can’t have its cake and eat it,’ says EU ambassador

2021-06-27

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2021-06-27

After rejecting the framework agreement with the European Union last month, Switzerland must now choose the model for interacting with the bloc’s internal market, says the EU ambassador to Switzerland. In an interviewExternal link with Le Temps newspaper on Friday, Petros Mavromichalis warned that the status quo was not an option for the EU.

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Covid-19 sent Swiss Energy Consumption Plummeting in 2020

2021-06-22

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2021-06-22

The Swiss consumed almost 11% less energy last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and warmer weather, according to the Federal Office of Energy. In total, Swiss residents used up 747,400 terajoules (TJ) of energy in 2020 – a fall of 10.6% compared to 2019 - the office said in a statementExternal link on Monday.

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Swiss economy on way back to normal, says top treasurer

2021-06-21

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2021-06-21

Switzerland’s economy will be back to its pre-pandemic level as early as this year and does not need a stimulus package, says Sabine D'Amelio-Favez, director of the Federal Finance Administration. The Confederation has incurred debts of CHF30 billion ($33 billion) to stem the economic consequences of Covid-19, she said in an interview published on Saturday by newspapers of the CH Media group.

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Switzerland commits CHF12 million to humanitarian aid in Venezuela

2021-06-19

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2021-06-19

This year Switzerland will provide more than CHF12 million ($13 million) in humanitarian aid to Venezuela and the region, it said at the Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants.

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Swiss among last to embrace wind and solar power 

2021-06-18

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2021-06-18

Switzerland is lagging behind most European countries when it comes to solar and wind power. In terms of per capita production, it ranks second to last in comparison with surrounding countries, according to the Swiss Energy Foundation (SES).

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Child Labour rises for first time in two decades 

2021-06-10

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2021-06-10

The world has witnessed the first rise in child labour in 20 years and the coronavirus crisis threatens to push millions more minors into the same fate, the United Nations said on Thursday. Swiss multinationals from food giant Nestlé to mining titans Glencore and Trafigura have struggled to eradicate child labour from their supply chains and the communities where they work.

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Global minimum tax deal bad for Switzerland, say experts

2021-06-07

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2021-06-07

The decision by the leading industrial nations (G7) to support a global minimum tax of 15% for large corporations is not good news for Switzerland, according to Swiss economists. Certain cantons in particular would come under pressure.

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Switzerland and WHO launch global pathogen BioHub

2021-05-25

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2021-05-25

Switzerland and the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed to launch the first WHO BioHub Facility. This will enhance the rapid sharing of viruses and other pathogens between laboratories and partners globally.

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Eight Swiss in Bloomberg billionaire ‘rich list’ 

2021-05-19

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2021-05-19

In the latest version of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, eight Swiss or Swiss-resident names figure among the 500 richest people in the world. The richest of the Alpine-based billionaires is Geneva-based Ernesto Bertarelli, who according to his own self-description is a “Swiss entrepreneur active in the fields of business, finance, sport and philanthropy”.

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