Switzerland News

January 17, 2019

UN health agency opens probe into “misconduct” allegations

The UN World Health Organization has opened an investigation into “allegations of misconduct” inside the organisation, based on an anonymous email circulated internally, the agency said on Thursday. The WHO said it was aware of a news story published on…

January 17, 2019

Brexit worries to keep Theresa May away from Davos

UK Prime Minister Theresa May, citing domestic concerns, will follow her French and American counterparts by staying away from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the current political situation in London, a spokesperson for May announced…

January 17, 2019

Switzerland has second-most part-time workers in Europe

Part-time work in Switzerland continues to increase, with the latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office showing that over a third of employees work less than 90%. The figures, said the statistical office on Thursday, show a marked increase in…

January 17, 2019

Police need permission to film employees at work

The Swiss Federal Court has ruled that the use of police video surveillance to gather evidence of a crime in a work space must be approved by the public prosecutor’s office and a compulsory measures court. The ruling was based…

January 17, 2019

EU ramps up pressure on Switzerland to sign framework deal

The European Union has stepped up pressure on Switzerland to sign a framework agreement by threatening to freeze discussions in other areas of bilateral cooperation, including access to the single market. According to Keystone-SDA, who confirmed a story reported on…

January 17, 2019

Swiss to have final say on corporate tax and gun law reforms

Campaigners have handed in the necessary signatures for nationwide votes in May on a reform on the Swiss gun law and a separate decision by parliament for an overhaul of the corporate tax system. An alliance comprising rifle associations, hunters,…

January 17, 2019

Illegal immigration to Switzerland almost halves

Swiss border guards recorded 16,563 cases of illegal migration last year, down from 27,300 cases in 2017 and 48,838 in 2016. The Federal Customs Administration said on Thursday that the Swiss Border Guard had picked up 9,552 people on trains,…

January 17, 2019

Switzerland rated fifth-best country for expat careers

Switzerland is one of the most popular countries for international workers, who appreciate in particular the good work-life balance, according to a survey by the bank HSBC. Switzerland came fifth out of 31 countries for career considerations – down two…

January 17, 2019

New calendar forces watchmakers to choose between fairs

The decision by Switzerland’s biggest watch fairs – the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) and Baselworld – to run back to back next year has made life complicated for watchmakers. On the penultimate day of the SIHH watch…