Leuthard completes Mexico visit

Swiss Economics Minister Doris Leuthard has ended her first official visit to Mexico with a trip to Monterrey, one of the country's main business centres.

Leuthard travelled to the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon with a delegation of Swiss business representatives to consider the perspectives for foreign firms.

The city’s proximity to the United States and its industrial strength coupled with low production costs make it a platform for entering the North American market.

But the city, which is home to the car industry, cement and glassmakers as well as brewers, now wants to attract aeronautical activities, biotechnology companies and nanotechnology specialists.

Leuthard said during her visit that Switzerland and Monterrey both want to focus on innovative activities, but she warned that Swiss companies would not set up shop in Mexico if they felt their intellectual property was not protected enough.