Critics say the tobacco industry has a long tradition of lobbying Swiss politicians
Keystone
Under-fire Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis has dumped tobacco company Philip Morris as a sponsor of the Swiss pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. This follows a wave of negative headlines and criticism from health organisations.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
Cassis took this decision “so as not to undermine the primary objective of the Swiss presence in Dubai, which is to convey a positive image of Switzerland”, the foreign ministry said in a statementExternal link on Tuesday.
The ministry had previously argued that Philip Morris was an important multinational with European headquarters in Switzerland.
It had also pointed out that parliament had approved a proposal to have half of the CHF15 million ($15.1 million) for the Swiss pavilion provided by private sponsors. Philip Morris had been due to chip in CHF1.8 million to the Swiss presence at the Expo 2020 in Dubai.
The company reportedly also contributed CHF45,000 towards the opening ceremony of the new Swiss embassy to Moscow last month.
On Sunday the SonntagsBlick newspaper pointed outExternal link that other government ministries had also accepted corporate aid. For example, the defence ministry confirmed it had received money from companies such as RUAG, Pilatus and Swisscom at three aviation events.
Cassis has ordered revisions to the ministry’s sponsorship policy by the end of the year to prevent similar situations from re-occurring.
Pressure
The foreign ministry had come under intense pressure from Swiss health and anti-addiction groups, as well as universities and the World Health Organization. They argue that accepting tobacco money contradicts ethical principles and is in breach of international rules.
Philip Morris, which has its international operations and research centre in western Switzerland, had said the sponsoring deal was an opportunity to highlight science and innovation as it was planning to promote a smoke-free surrogate tobacco product.
On Tuesday it said it regretted the decision and “but also the circumstance that the foreign minister was brought into this position by activists and organisations, especially since these actors say they want to end smoking but apparently don’t have any interest in an open dialogue about grounded science, innovation and better alternatives for smokers”.
Critics say the tobacco industry has a long tradition of lobbying Swiss politicians.
Switzerland has refused to ratify the WHO convention on tobacco control.
More
More
Ministry rebuked for taking tobacco money
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry is facing criticism over its deal to let the tobacco multinational Philip Morris act as co-sponsor of major events abroad.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Zurich arbitration authority rules in favour of tenants of ‘Sugus Houses’
This content was published on
A conciliation authority says the terminations of 105 flat leases in the so-called "Sugus Houses" in the centre of Zurich were abusive. The tenants therefore do not have to move out - at least for the time being.
This content was published on
Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF19.6 billion ($23.9 billion) last year, a 2.2% rise compared to the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Despite the current tense economic situation, Swiss consumer sentiment remains positive. The Swiss spent more money in May than the previous year, particularly on restaurant visits and leisure activities, as shown by the latest figures released by PostFinance.
This content was published on
A bear killed four sheep in the Lower Engadine region near Scuol, canton Graubünden, last week. This was the first bear attack on local livestock in four years.
This content was published on
Experts believe that economic development in Switzerland will be weaker in 2026 than the forecasts made three months ago. They have also lowered their predictions for the current year.
This content was published on
Fewer people in Switzerland have a religious affiliation and the proportion who practice their religion regularly is steadily declining, a survey finds.
Study: trees have major cooling effect even in extreme heat
This content was published on
Plane trees in cities have an important cooling effect even in extreme heat, according to a new study by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL).
EPFL launches digitised version of Battle of Murten panorama
This content was published on
To mark the anniversary of the Battle of Murten on 22 June 1476, the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has launched a website that offers the public an immersive experience of the huge panorama painting of the historic battle.
77th Swiss Gymnastics Festival praised for ‘positive energy’
This content was published on
The 77th Federal Gymnastics Festival drew to a close on Sunday in Lausanne, after eleven days of popular celebration and sporting performances.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Report flags more sponsors of official Swiss events
This content was published on
Following controversy surrounding a tobacco firm’s sponsorship of Swiss activities, a report points out additional corporate funding.
This content was published on
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis says he is considering a request to exclude a tobacco firm from sponsoring the Swiss pavilion at the 2020 World Expo.
Opening of Swiss embassy in Moscow sponsored by Russian oligarch
This content was published on
Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko was among those who sponsored the recent inauguration of the new Swiss embassy building in Moscow.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.