On 26 September 2016, the Federal Public Health Office (OFSP) announced Swiss health insurance premiums for 2017. The average increase across all cantons and insurance companies will be 4.5%, ranging from 3.5% to 7.3% depending on the canton. These figures are for standard cover for an adult with a deductible of CHF 300, including accident […]
Geneva votes to reduce tax deductions for costs of getting to work
Today, Geneva voted on whether to cap tax deductions for the costs of getting to work. The initiative was seen as a way to increase tax revenue. 57.66% of voters were in favour of the change. A map showing the districts voting yes in green, shows a possible correlation between proximity to Geneva’s centre and the chance of voting yes. Currently, […]
European mobile roaming charges to be axed. Pity the Swiss.
Yesterday the European Commission announced that EU residents should soon be able to make calls and use data without any additional charges while travelling in another EU country. Countries outside the EU, but within the European Economic Area (EEA), including Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland’s neighbour Liechtenstein, will be included in the deal. Günther H. Oettinger, […]
Ochsner Sport under the spotlight after false discount labelling claim
One of Ochsner Sport’s customers was surprised by what they found when they peeled off a discount price sticker. According to the consumer watchdog, Fédération romande des consommateurs (FRC), a customer who bought a headlamp from the Ochsner Sport store in Nyon in December 2015, discovered an old price label under the one showing the discounted […]
Swiss trains the most expensive in Europe
A study by GoEuro, compares the cost of travelling 100km by train. Switzerland led the ranking with the most costly train trips in Europe. Travelling 100km in Switzerland cost CHF 52. The study is based on the prices of 300 million domestic train journeys across Europe between April 2015 and April 2016. The price differences are significant. […]
Swiss need to retire at 67, says parliamentary commission
Le Matin. The Swiss might need to work until 67. In a report, a parliamentary commission suggests automatically raising the statutory retirement age, as part of a set of measures designed to eliminate a large pension funding shortfall brought on by an aging population and falling investment returns. The state pension system needs to find […]
Swiss post to accept cards from other banks, but there’s a catch
Tages Anzeiger. Anyone new to Switzerland may be surprised to find that the only way to pay in Swiss post offices is with cash, unless you have a Swiss Post card. The Tages Anzeiger reported that the company has started experimenting with debit card payments in two post offices. One in Zollikofen in the canton of […]
Cross-border workers can now choose between French and Swiss health insurance
Tribune de Genève. Those who work in Switzerland but live in France will soon be able to choose where they take out health insurance. In 2014, the French government made life difficult for many cross-border workers by removing the option of taking out private health insurance instead of paying into the French state health system. […]
Swiss government rejects union demands for pension increases
20 Minutes. Various Swiss unions along with the socialist and green parties have launched an initiative to increase pensions. Their plan, which demands a 10% increase in pension payments, will be put before Swiss voters in a referendum on 25 September 2016. The cost of the plan could be as high as CHF 4.1 billion. […]
Swiss tax redistribution in 2017 – winners and losers
Swiss cantons have very different tax bases, tax rates and costs. To even things up, and temper tax rate competition between cantons that jockey to attract the wealthiest residents with the lowest tax rates, Switzerland has a system known as la péréquation financière nationale in French, or Finanzausgleich in German, which requires “rich” cantons to give money […]
