This week, Swiss Post announced it would increase the cost of sending letters and parcels from the beginning of 2024. At the beginning of 2024, nearly everything is set to rise in price as the Swiss VAT rate jumps from 7.7% to 8%. In addition, more and more companies are joining the party, pushing up […]
Swiss inflation down in June but more in pipeline
Data released on 3 July 2023 showed year-on-year inflation in June falling to 1.7%, down from 2.2% the month before. During the month of June 2023, prices rose 0.1%, which translates to an annualised rate of 1.2%, well below the Swiss National Bank (SNB) target rate of 2%. Underlying inflation, which strips out volatile elements […]
One third of Russian diplomats in Switzerland could be spies
On 26 June 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service warned of the increasing risk of spying in Switzerland. According to the report, Russia has destroyed the rules-based order for peace in Europe. The effectiveness of international forums such as the UN has continued to decline and there are no signs of a stable new world order. […]
Swiss government to cut discriminatory widows’ pensions
In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Max Beeler, a man who claimed there was gender discrimination regarding pension payments to widows and widowers in Switzerland. This week, the government formalised changes removing the inequality of treatment of bereaved men and women. Currently, women receive a widower’s pension for life […]
Swiss government approves blow out budget for 2024
On 28 June 2023, Switzerland’s Federal Council approved a budget for 2024 with a deficit of CHF 6.7 billion. Switzerland’s constitution includes a section designed to constrain spending to prevent the government from living beyond its means. The debt brake, as it is known, allows a limited degree of annual overspending that is expected to […]
Rising electric car numbers cut Swiss vehicle emissions
In 2022, 26.1% of newly registered passenger vehicles in Switzerland were plug-in, up 3.6 percentage points from 22.5% in 2021. And the percentage of diesels fell from 17.4% to 11.4%, a drop of 6 percentage points. The percentage of fully electric cars – plug-in vehicles includes hybrids – rose even faster from 13.4% to 17.9%, […]
Why attacks on abortion rights have failed in Switzerland
Abortion rights are a hot political topic in the US and women’s access to them has been significantly reduced recently. Some political groups have tried to reduce access to abortion in Switzerland. However, their attempts have fallen flat. Why? Political scientist Cloé Jans at gfs.bern, a political research organisation, shared her views with SRF. In […]
Some Swiss teenagers will need to spend longer at school
In Switzerland, schooling is managed at a state or cantonal level. However, at the university level a mixture of state and federal institutions deliver courses, and students can move between cantons. This model of inter-cantonal tertiary eduction requires students to graduate from school with a universally agreed level of education. These university entrance diplomas are […]
Swiss government set to approve more favourable tax treatment for companies
On 28 June 2023, parliament agreed to extend the loss offsetting period for Swiss companies. In Switzerland, any losses made by companies can be offset against future profits for a limited period of time. Currently, the period is seven years. This week parliament agreed to extend this period to 10 years. Any losses generated in […]
Recycling upgrade: Switzerland to get milk in PET
Many municipalities in Switzerland do not offer recycling of the box-based packaging typically used for milk in Switzerland. Despite ecological proclamations and a papery look these boxes are a bit of a eco-wolf in environmentally friendly sheep’s clothing. They are made of a composite material that is difficult to separate into its constituent parts making […]
