Switzerland’s Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) recently released figues on entry bans between 2016 and 2018, according to Le Matin. The information was released in response to a request by Barbara Steinemann, a national councillor and member of the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), who requested more detailed information on the two Swiss nationals involved in […]
Switzerland’s invisible pollution problem
Plastic pollution is a well-known problem. However, few have heard of micro rubber pollution. Like micro plastic, micro rubber is largely invisible. From 1998 to 2018, researchers estimate that 200,000 tonnes of micro rubber, shed from vehicle tyres as they move along the road, has accumulated in the environment in Switzerland. Bernd Nowack from Empa, […]
Most Swiss prefer home grown eggs, meat and dairy
Recently published statistics suggest most Swiss prefer home grown animal products. Three quarters (75%) of those surveyed said they preferred Swiss eggs and more than half preferred Swiss meat (51%) and dairy products (59%). Reasons for preferring local animal products were to support local farmers (nearly 25%), low food miles (15%) and product quality (15%). […]
40% of over 50s in Switzerland want to work beyond retirement, suggests survey
40% of workers currently aged between 50 and 64 would like to continue working beyond retirement age, according to a survey conducted by Deloitte. Switzerland’s growing demographic imbalance is not only putting pressure on Switzerland’s social security system but also reducing its pool of labour. According to UBS, by 2030, the Swiss labour market will […]
Unemployment rises in Switzerland but falls across the EU
Switzerland’s low unemployment rate is the envy of many EU countries. However, in the third quarter of 2019, Switzerland underperformed the EU. Recent statistics show Switzerland’s overall rate of unemployment in the third quarter rose from 4.2% (Q3 2018) to 4.6% (Q3 2019) or 225,000 unemployed workers – these figures are based on the International […]
Parts of Switzerland becoming too hot for middle eastern tourists
While the latest statistics show a rise in the number of tourists visiting Switzerland over the summer, tourist numbers from some countries fell significantly. Overall, the number of visitors to Switzerland in June, July and August rose by 3.9% compared to 2018. However, the numbers from Saudi Arabia (-8.7%) and the UAE (-13.4%) were down […]
Petition to ban SUVs in Lausanne
A petition to ban SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) from entering Lausanne could be presented to the city’s municipality and then to the cantonal government, according to the newspaper Le Matin. The petition, which, according to Le Matin, has 1,200 signatures – their website shows a figure of around 800 – aims to ban large vehicles […]
24 year old man in Switzerland talking to Exit about suicide assistance
A 24 year old man from Winterthur who suffered a cerebral hemorrage four years ago has asked Exit, an association which aids people who want to end their lives, to help him, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. The man, who lives alone, is confined to a wheelchair and is unable to hear. He said […]
French-speaking cantons biggest winners from next year’s fiscal transfers
The amount of money paid by “rich” cantons to “poor” ones will rise by CHF 61 million to CHF 5.3 billion in 2020, according to a recent government press release. The only French-speaking canton paying will be Geneva. All of the rest will see the sums they receive rise compared to 2019. In 2020, Geneva […]
Drug spending continues to explode in Switzerland
Last week, the government announced that it had shaved CHF 100 million off the cost of drug purchases from 1 January 2020. This week numbers obtained by RTS from Curafutura, a health insurance association, show drug spending rose CHF 420 million from CHF 6.9 billion to CHF 7 billion between October 2018 and September 2019 […]
