This week, after much political back and forth, Switzerland’s federal government moved close to updating the nation’s laws on sex crimes, including rape. While the need to update the definition of rape, which is central to the legal revision, is uncontested, the details of the changes have proved controversial. Broadly, much of the debate has […]
No cost-of-living pay rise for Swiss parliamentarians
A 2.5% pay increase for Swiss parliamentarians to compensate for inflation was rejected this week by the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house or senate, reported SRF. In Switzerland, working as a member of parliament is a part time job, typically occupying 60% to 80% of an individual’s working hours. On average they are paid […]
Switzerland’s rent rate rises paving way for rent hikes
Four times a year the rate of interest used to set the rents in Switzerland is reviewed. If the aggregate average mortgage rate goes down some renters can request lower rent. If it goes up some landlords can raise rents. This time the rate rose from 1.25% to 1.50%. Higher rents are likely to follow. […]
Lake Geneva’s big problem: it’s not mixing
For a lake to remain healthy the water needs to mix regularly. Oxygen rich surface water and nutrient dense bottom water need to mix to maintain a healthy ecosystem. In Lake Geneva mixing, which normally occurs annually, has not happened for 11 years. Without mixing surface water becomes nutrient-poor and there is too little oxygen […]
Paraplegic walks again thanks to Swiss implant
This week, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and the University Hospital in Lausanne (CHUV) tested a new system which allows the brain and spinal column to communicate. Dutchman Gert-Jan Oskam has been paralysed since a bicycle accident twelve years ago. Thanks to the implants, one in the skullcap and […]
Tobacco advertising could soon be effectively over in Switzerland
Switzerland has relatively accommodating rules regarding the advertising and sale of tobacco products. And it has correspondingly high smoking rates. That is likely to begin changing from next year, reported RTS. This week, the Federal Council sent parliament its position on how to implement the successful vote in February 2022 to ban tobacco advertising to […]
Men continue to dominate R&D in Switzerland
Data published this week by the Federal Statistical office show there are nearly twice as many men as women in research and development (R&D) in Switzerland. In 2020, 36% of R&D researchers were women (64% were men). In Europe, Switzerland trailed Iceland (45%), Portugal (43%), Spain (42%), Russia (39%) and Norway (39%) on this measure. […]
Switzerland remains among top on R&D investment
Data published this week show that Switzerland invested CHF 24.6 billion into research and development (R&D) in 2021, a sum 4% higher than in 2019 before the pandemic struck. With an R&D investment equivalent to 3.4% of GDP, Switzerland was fourth internationally behind only the United States (3.5%), South Korea (4.9%) and Israel (5.6%). R&D […]
Job growth continues in Switzerland
Figures published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on 26 May 2023 show continued growth in the number of jobs in Switzerland. At the end of the first quarter of 2023, total employment was 2.2% higher than a year earlier and 0.6% higher than at the end of 2022. Companies in Switzerland reported a total […]
Switzerland’s higher company tax vote – a step into the unknown
On 18 June 2023, Swiss voters will choose whether to accept the government’s plan to raise company tax rates to a minimum of 15%. The minimum 15% tax, which will apply to any company with annual revenues of Euro 750 million or more, has essentially been forced on Switzerland by the OECD as part of […]
