In Switzerland, every resident must have a place in an atomic bomb shelter within a 30 minute walk of their home. The distance is extended to a 60 minute walk in mountain regions. However, the rules on atomic shelters have not been followed in a number of cantons and municipalities, reports RTS. According to the […]
Switzerland adopts EU sanctions against Russia
On 28 February 2022, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced that the neutral nation would adopt the packages of sanctions against Russia imposed by the EU on 23 and 25 February 2022 in view of Russia’s continuing military intervention in Ukraine. The assets of the individuals and companies listed are frozen with immediate effect, said the federal […]
Swiss prosecutor requests maximum fine for Credit Suisse for money laundering
This week, Switzerland’s Federal Prosecutor requested that Credit Suisse be fined the maximum of CHF 5 million allowed under Swiss law for money laundering related to its dealings with a network of Bulgarian drug traffickers, reported RTS. The trial began two and a half weeks ago at the Switzerland’s Federal Penal Tribunal in Bellinzona. Two […]
Oxo-degradable plastics banned in Switzerland from April 2022
Everything in the universe eventually breaks down and degrades. This means claims regarding biodegradability are easy to make. However, the real question is: how long does it take and what does it breakdown into? In some cases, materials pitched as being friendly to the environment often fall significantly short of environment friendly claims upon closer […]
Chart of the week: rates of homeownership by Swiss canton
Switzerland has one of the lowest rates of home ownership. Most residents live in rented accommodation. Across the whole country, only 36.2% of homes were owned by their occupants in 2020, according to data published this week by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). However, home ownership rates vary significantly depending on the canton. In popular […]
Prices of dairy products set to rise in Switzerland
Dairy prices are rising globally. Higher global prices are expected to trigger price rises in Switzerland as local dairy farmers follow the global trend, reported 20 Minutes. Since the beginning of the year, the price of a tonne of dried milk has risen by around 16% to US$ 4,503, according to the website Global Dairy […]
Half of French households near Swiss border work in Switzerland
Recently published statistics show that more than half of the residents in certain parts of France were employed in Switzerland in 2018. The data, published by INSEE, a French statistics agency, found that more than half of households in the communes du Genevois, Pays de Gex and Annemasse-Les Voirons, all regions bordering Switzerland, contained family […]
Swiss employment reaches new record
Data published this week by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show that the number of active workers in Switzerland rose to a record 5.239 million by the end of 2021. The number of people employed at the end of 2021 was 1.9% higher than at the end of 2020. 5.239 million represents around 73% of […]
Netflix 40% more expensive in Switzerland
In Germany, the lowest-priced Netflix subscription is CHF 8,30 (EUR 7.99) a month. The same subscription in Switzerland costs CHF 11.90, a price 43% higher than in Germany. Given the large difference between German VAT(19%) and Swiss VAT (7.7%), all other things being equal, Swiss subscribers should expect to pay 10% less than German subscribers. […]
City beehives destroying wild bee populations in Switzerland
There are too many domestic bees in Swiss cities, according to a study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). Beekeeping is booming in Swiss cities, but the uncontrolled increase in honeybees is putting increasing pressure on wild pollinators, threatening urban biodiversity, found the study. The results suggest that beekeeping […]
