Switzerland

Swiss protesters occupy Bern square to protest inaction on climate

Between 300 and 400 protesters occupied a square near the Swiss National Bank in Bern on Monday, as leaders of the group that has also targeted banks including Credit Suisse…

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Switzerland add Paris, Vienna to list of areas for coronavirus quarantine

Switzerland has added the regions around Paris and Vienna to its list of areas with high COVID-19 infection rates requiring incoming travellers to enter quarantine for 10 days. The government…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Maggia Valley, Switzerland

People enjoying the warm weather and swim in the Maggia River in the Maggia Valley near Ponte Brolla in the Ticino, Switzerland. Via EPA-EFE/Alessandro Crinari

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Innovation key to Swiss economic recovery after COVID-19 downturn

Innovation has been a driving force behind Switzerland's financial success in recent years, and will be essential for its post COVID-19 economic recovery. The country has the world's highest R&D…

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Switzerland enters into recession

Switzerland's economy shrank by 8.2% in the second quarter compared with the first three months of the year, the government said on Thursday, as the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the worst…

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Swiss engineers see gloomy future as COVID-19 batters sector

Switzerland's engineering sector suffered a slump in orders and exports during the second quarter of 2020, industry association Swissmem said on Wednesday, as the COVID-19 crisis battered makers of machine…

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Marco Chiesa elected president of Swiss People’s Party (SVP)

The Swiss People's Party (SVP) elected Marco Chiesa from Italian-speaking region Ticino as president of the right-wing party on Saturday as it tries to sharpen its profile and rebuild its…

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Roche, Regeneron link up on COVID-19 antibody cocktail

Roche is adding its manufacturing muscle and global development expertise to Regeneron's bid to create an antibody cocktail for COVID-19 that the Swiss and U.S. companies hope can be used…

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Switzerland extends its ban on gatherings of more than 1,000

Switzerland will allow events of more than 1,000 people from Oct. 1, provided organizers follow hygiene measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the government announced. Permission from…

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Number of Swiss out of work dips in July versus June

The number of people out of work in Switzerland eased in July from June but was still up nearly 53% compared with the year-ago month, data released on Monday showed.…

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Swiss government signs agreement with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine

Switzerland has signed an agreement with Moderna to secure early access to the COVID-19 vaccine the U.S. biotech company is developing, the government said on Friday. Switzerland will get 4.5…

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Switzerland adds mainland Spain to places requiring COVID-19 quarantine

Swiss health authorities have added mainland Spain to its list of countries from which people arriving must enter a 10-day quarantine that aims to help curb the spread of…

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Swiss health minister insists people needed to maintain social distancing to avoid rise in cases

Switzerland's health minister said on Wednesday that new country-wide measures to check the recent spike in coronavirus cases are "unlikely" at present. The number of cases has quadrupled in recent…

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Switzerland advised to tighten coronavirus restrictions again

Switzerland should tighten restrictions to curb the coronavirus again following a recent spike in cases, in order to prevent the need for much harsher lockdown measures in future, the new…

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National Day celebrations in Switzerland to suit COVID-19 era

An 80x80 meter Swiss flag hung up by high workers on the occasion of the national holiday on Saturday on a rock face below the Saentis on the Schwaegalp, Switzerland.…

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Sika CEO “very positive” about construction industry recovery

Sika is expecting a sustainable improvement in the global construction market after seeing an increase in sales in June and a good development in July so far, Chief Executive Paul…

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Schindler to cut 2,000 jobs as profit falls by more than 25%

Swiss elevator and escalator maker Schindler on Friday announced 2,000 job cuts over two years after first-half profit fell more than a quarter, as the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the brakes…

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Swiss attorney general offers to quit after Swiss court said he lied

Switzerland's Attorney General Michael Lauber offered on Friday to resign from his office, after a Swiss court concluded he lied to investigators while his office examined alleged corruption surrounding soccer…

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Switzerland expands COVID-19 quarantine watchlist

Switzerland has expanded to 42 the number of territories on its watchlist of coronavirus hot spots, new arrivals from which must enter a ten-day quarantine, health authorities said on Wednesday.…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Saillon, Switzerland

Swimmers in an outdoor pool at the 'Les Bains de Saillon' thermal baths in Saillon, Switzerland. Via EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON

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Swiss warn over faulty protective masks bought during COVID-19 rush

Swiss officials have opened investigations into importers and dealers of defective respiratory masks, warning users of protective devices to be vigilant for flawed products rushed into the country during the…

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Photo Story: Traffic jams as holidays begin in Switzerland

Vehicles sit in a traffic jam near the Gotthard tunnel in Wassen, Switzerland, on Saturday 18 July 2020. The summer holidays begin this weekend throughout Switzerland and in the neighbouring…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Rolle, Switzerland

A view of a field with a permaculture mandala garden, a project of the boarding private school Le Rosey, next to cars driving on the A1 motorway, in Rolle, Switzerland.…

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Photo Story: Statue of Swiss banker David de Pury vandalized in Neuchatel

A worker cleans red paint off a statue of Swiss banker, merchant and philanthropist David de Pury, in Neuchatel, Switzerland, 13 July 2020. This vandalism of the statue was claimed…

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Switzerland implements compulsory mask use on public transport

Swiss authorities have mandated the use of face masks, starting on 06 July, for all people aged 12 and older using any form of public transport – including trains, trams,…

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Masks declared obligatory on Swiss public transport

From this week, passengers on Swiss public transport will have to wear face masks, the government has announced. Switzerland also imposed a quarantine requirement for individuals entering the country from…

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Switzerland restricts entry from 29 countries to prevent coronavirus spread

Travellers to Switzerland from 29 countries will from July 6 have to register with the authorities and go into self-isolation to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus, the government said…

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Zurich quarantines nearly 300 persons

Zurich’s health authority said on Saturday it had ordered a 10-day quarantine for almost 300 guests and staff of a nightclub after a reveller tested positive for the coronavirus and…

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Hublot CEO warns Swiss watch industry facing worst ever crisis

The Swiss watch industry is facing the worst crisis in its history, with the coronavirus pandemic expected to reduce sales by up to 30% this year, Ricardo Guadalupe, the head…

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Photo Story: Acrobatic shows held during Glacier 3000 in Switzerland

Swiss Australian acrobatic artist Ramon Kathriner performs during the Glacier 3000, in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. While the tourist site remains closed to the public, due to the coronavirus pandemic, Glacier…

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Duty free retailer Dufry cuts jobs to tackle coronavirus downturn

Swiss duty free operator Dufry will reduce its personnel expenses by 20% to 30% this year, it said on Wednesday, as it tackles the plunge in sales caused by the…

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Swiss watchmakers fear job cuts as coronavirus crisis hits sales

Swiss watchmakers expect fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will have a lasting impact on demand for watches, which could mean job cuts later in the year, industry representatives told Reuters.…

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Switzerland on course for worst downturn in decades

Switzerland's economy will suffer its worst downturn in decades during 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic damages output and jobs, the government said on Wednesday, but the downturn will be less…

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Passengers to pay a CO2 tax for flights departing Switzerland

The Swiss parliament has moved to impose an environmental tax on airline tickets, as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives…

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Photo Story: Leisure facilities reopen in Switzerland

Visitor look at Naga, a nine-years old Komodo Dragon, being tended by a keeper in a terrarium at the Aquatis, the largest fresh water aquarium-vivarium in Europe, in Lausanne, on…

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Lockdown led to big jump in worker productivity in Switzerland

Thanks to more focus and flexibility, productivity per worker increased by up to 16% during the Covid-19 lockdown in Switzerland, a study has calculated. The study by the Swiss Trade…

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Photo Story: Renovation works in Switzerland on the Hammetschwand Elevator

Specialists of the cable car manufacturer Inauen-Schaetti work on the renovation of the Hammetschwand lift on the Buergenstock, at 1125m above sea level, Switzerland. In summer 2019, during a routine…

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Switzerland says ‘premature’ to lift entry restrictions at Italian border

The Swiss authorities say it’s still too early to lift entry restrictions with Italy on June 3, the date on which its southern neighbour will open its borders. The Federal…

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Photo Story: The Zurich Grossmunster illuminated

The Zurich great minster is illuminated by light artist Gerry Hofstetter on late Saturday, 30 May 2020, in Zurich, Switzerland. Via EPA-EFE/ALEXANDRA WEY

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Switzerland in a sharp recession

Switzerland is in a sharp recession, the KOF Economic Institute said on Friday, as the coronavirus crisis brought many businesses to a halt, plunging KOF's forward-looking economic barometer to its…

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Photo Story: Office disinfection in Switzerland

The Roveo robot of the company Rovenso disinfects surfaces in an office with UV-C rays in Villaz-Saint-Pierre, canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. The Fribourg-based start-up company Rovenso has adapted its robot…

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Companies in Switzerland must pay share of rent for employees working from home

The Swiss German-language paper Tages-Anzeiger reports that Switzerland’s top court has ruled that employers are required to contribute to employees’ rent payments if they are expected to work from home.…

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Photo Story: Daily life amid coronavirus pandemic in Lausanne

People wearing a protective face mask are shopping duing the reopening of the Saturday's market during the state of emergency of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Lausanne, Switzerland, 23…

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Poll finds Swiss want tougher mask rules on public transport

A growing majority of Swiss residents favour an official order for passengers in public transport to wear protective masks but very few appear to do so voluntarily. An opinion poll…

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Swiss to re-open borders with neighbouring countries but not Italy

Switzerland is planning to re-open its borders with Germany, France and Austria as part of a gradual loosening of restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic imposed in March. Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said…

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Photo Story: Greeting in times of a pandemic

Teachers Thomas Balsiger (L) and Bianca Betschen (R), greet student Yanira Ribeiro Perez (C), at the Neufeld primary school in Thun, Switzerland, 11 May 2020. Because of further relaxation during…

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Switzerland starts lifting coronavirus restrictions

Switzerland from today started relaxing the restrictions that were introduced due to the coronavirus pandemic. Attending masses is still banned in Switzerland due to the ongoing pandemic of the COVID-19…

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Photo Story: Nature Museum in St. Gallen prepares for reopening to the public

A museum technician uses yellow-black tape on exhibits for a tactile experience at the Nature Museum in St. Gallen, Switzerland during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Museum will open…

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Swiss must leave phone numbers in bars and restaurants because of Covid-19

People in Switzerland will be able to go to bars and restaurants again from May 11, but only if they leave their phone numbers, according to an anti-coronavirus safety plan for the sector.…

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Prince Andrew facing legal action over unpaid debt worth £5m

Prince Andrew is caught in a dispute over a Swiss chalet amid reports legal proceedings have been launched against him over an unpaid bill of £5m. Le Temps newspaper said…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Verbier, Switzerland

A empty street of the ski resort is pictured during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Verbier, Switzerland. Countries around the world are taking increased measures to stem the widespread…

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Switzerland says distancing measures could last another two years

Unexpected discoveries about a virus scientists still don't know well could slow down the development of a safe and effective vaccine, Matthias Egger said in an interview published on Sunday. Egger,…

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Photo Story: Schooling in Switzerland during times of pandemic

Swiss teacher Christophe Blanc gives an economics lesson in his class in front of pictures of his students at the private school 'Ecole Ardevaz', amid measures to curb the spread…

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Lockdown restrictions eased in Switzerland

Customers observe social distancing in a do-it-yourself store in Mels, Switzerland, 27 April 2020. From Monday, 27 April 2020, facilities such as hairdressing, massage, tattoo or beauty salons, DIY stores…

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Switzerland facing biggest economic slump since 1975

In a revised forecast in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, federal authorities predict GDP will contract by 6.7% in 2020 and recover slowly in 2021. On Thursday, the State Secretariat…

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Face masks to remain optional for Swiss

The Swiss government has decided not to impose a general obligation for residents to wear face masks as the country starts relaxing coronavirus restrictions next week. Interior Minister Alain Berset said…

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Photo Story: Swiss soldiers patrol Swiss-French border

Swiss soldiers patrol behind concrete blocks at the Swiss-French border of the Greenway as an additional measure, during the Swiss state of emergency due to the coronavirus COVID-19, in Thonex…

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