Switzerland and China have concluded negotiations on an upgraded trade agreement that would remove tariffs on almost all Swiss exports to China. Guy Parmelin, Switzerland’s economy minister, and Wang Wentao, his Chinese counterpart, announced the deal on Thursday. Under the revised agreement, 99.8% of current Swiss exports to China would eventually be exempt from customs […]
Switzerland’s September votes – results of first poll
In a poll run for Switzerland’s public broadcaster, more than half of Swiss voters intend to reject a proposal to enshrine perpetual and armed neutrality in the constitution, A separate initiative on food policy remains too close to call. The neutrality initiative, launched by Pro Suisse, would strengthen the constitutional basis of Swiss neutrality. If […]
Switzerland is attracting fewer immigrants—and losing more of those already here
Almost 40,000 foreign permanent residents left Switzerland in the first half of 2026, 4.3% more than in the same period last year. According to the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), this is part of a broader trend: emigration by foreign residents has been rising since 2023. At the same time, immigration is slowing. In the […]
Rejection of wage protection measures risks Swiss-EU deal
With parliament due to debate Switzerland’s package of agreements with the European Union next month, a committee in the upper house has rejected measures intended to protect wages, reported RTS. One has become particularly contentious: stronger safeguards for workers’ representatives against unfair dismissal. Trade unions now warn that they may oppose the agreements altogether. The […]
Sharp rise in jihadist terrorism cases in Switzerland
Swiss federal prosecutors are conducting 140 investigations into suspected jihadist terrorism, according to RTS, the public broadcaster. That is the highest number on record. The cases involve, among other things, recruitment for banned terrorist organisations, their financing, the spread of propaganda, travel to join jihadist groups and the return of foreign fighters. Some concern alleged […]
How the Big Mac Index overstates the Swiss franc’s strength
For 40 years, The Economist has indulged in what it refers to as “burgernomics”: a worldwide comparison of the price of a Big Mac. The McDonald’s Big Mac is remarkably consistent wherever you eat it, so you might expect its price to be consistent too. But it is not—and, according to the publisher, that reveals […]
America imposes new 12.5% tariff on Swiss goods
America has imposed new tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on selected imports from about 60 trading partners, including Switzerland. The White House says the countries concerned have failed to do enough to combat forced labour. The measures, announced on Thursday, took effect overnight. The European Union, Japan and Taiwan are also named in the American […]
A third of Swiss Asian supermarket vegetables fail pesticide tests
Laboratory tests in the Swiss canton of Solothurn found excessive pesticide residues in one-third of vegetable samples taken from Asian grocery stores last year, prompting a criminal complaint against an importer. Asian supermarket vegetables tested by Solothurn’s food safety inspectors repeatedly failed compliance checks, according to the canton’s 2025 annual report. Officials analysed 38 vegetable […]
Swiss firms set to win more F-35 work than expected
Switzerland’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets is expected to generate more business for Swiss companies than originally required, reported RTS. Under the procurement deal, the American manufacturer has agreed to place work with Swiss firms as partial compensation for the purchase. According to figures released by Armasuisse on Tuesday, these commitments now exceed the target […]
Railway near-miss exposes Switzerland’s language challenge
Switzerland is often held up as a model of multilingualism. In August 2025, however, its linguistic diversity nearly led to a railway collision. The incident received widespread attention only after the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SESE) published its report in June 2026. Two Swiss Rail trains came close to colliding at Neuchâtel-Vauseyon after a […]
