Government wants new stimulus package
The cabinet has called on parliament to approve a third economic stimulus package worth SFr750 million ($688 million).
The cabinet decided the money was needed for measures in 2010 to ease rising unemployment, the economics ministry said on Wednesday.
Unemployment is expected to go above five per cent next year.
One measure is to set aside money to create temporary jobs for the long-term unemployed in non-profit organisations, and for specialised work in the areas of nature protection, tourism and youth.
The government wants to combat youth unemployment by providing more funds for further education and giving money to companies to hire young people entering the job market and to increase the number of apprenticeships offered.
Included in the latest package is SFr200 million in subsidies for health insurance premiums. And a decision to delay by a year a planned rise in value added tax is designed to stimulate consumption.
A first stimulus package of SFr1.5 billion was announced in November last year, followed by more than SFr700 million in March.
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