On 15 May 2022, Swiss voters voted on three federal initiatives on increased support of the Schengen border agency Frontex, presumed organ donation consent and whether to introduce a 4% levy on international streaming services in favour local film production. Voting this weekend was a clean sweep in favour of the federal government. Majorities were in favour […]
Swiss to vote on opt-out organ transplant permission
On 15 May 2022, the Swiss electorate will vote on the (organ) Transplantation Act. Over the past five years, an average of around 450 people in Switzerland have received one or more organs from a deceased person each year. However, the need for organs is much greater. Currently, a transplant is only possible if the […]
Swiss to vote on Frontex
On 15 May 2022, the Swiss electorate will vote on the Adoption of the Regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, which makes it party to the control of the area’s borders by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) an organisation that Switzerland […]
Swiss to vote on “Netflix tax”
On 15 May 2022, the Swiss electorate will vote on an Amendment to the Federal Act on Film Production and Film Culture. In Switzerland, domestic television broadcasters are obliged to invest 4% of their turnover in Swiss filmmaking. However, films and series are increasingly also offered by global companies via streaming services such as Netflix. […]
Switzerland releases 3 billion of frozen Russian funds
On 12 May 2022, Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) announced the release of CHF 3.4 billion of funds that was initially frozen in relation to sanctions against specified Russian individuals and companies, reported RTS. The release of the funds follows highly comprehensive analysis to establish whether the funds belonged to any people or […]
The Swiss start-up generating heat from basements
Heat pumps are high-efficiency electric heaters that take heat from the air or ground and concentrate it. Currently, extracting geothermic ground heat typically involves costly processes such as boring holes deep into the ground or laying long lengths of pipe underground. Enerdrape, a start-up at EPFL in Lausanne, has come up will a simpler way […]
Swiss parliament backs lower tax on menstrual products
Switzerland has two rates of VAT: 2.5% for essential items such as food bought in supermarkets, and 7.7% on all other products. Currently, tampons and sanitary pads are taxed at 7.7%. A parliamentary majority would like to see them taxed at the lower rate of 2.5%. It’s a question of fairness, according to Sophie Michaud […]
Abandon organic farming to feed world, recommends Syngenta boss
In the face of a global food crisis, Erik Fyrwald, the boss of chemicals giant Syngenta, has called for the world to abandon organic farming, reported RTS. The pandemic, extreme weather and the war in Ukraine have pushed the prices of some foods up significantly. Africa and southeast Asia are the regions most exposed to […]
“Boys Do Cry” – Swiss entry makes Eurovision final
The Swiss entry into the 2022 Eurovision contest has made it through to the final, which takes place on 14 May 2022. Marius Hügli, a 29 year-old from the canton of Appenzell-Innerrhoden known professionally as Marius Bear is representing Switzerland in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy with the song “Boys Do Cry”. […]
Switzerland to see lunar eclipse on 16 May 2022
On May 16, 2022 (the night of May 15 in the Western Hemisphere), the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first since May of 2021, according to NASA. The NASA animation above shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth’s shadow. The […]
