Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss abroad,
What are some things that Switzerland is known for abroad? Probably after the Alps, chocolate and watches comes cheese. But now the situation for Swiss gruyère is not looking very promising: exports are dropping down and internal production will be reduced for the whole of 2023.
If gruyère is not doing so well abroad, the Swiss might soon start to be remembered for their contribution to Hollywood. A new AI technology developed by ETH Zurich has allowed the animators of the Disney and Pixar film Elemental to give life to the protagonist.
All of this and more in today’s briefing. But first, let’s look at the main news stories of the day.
In the news: reduced sentences for mafia members, more renewable energy plants and gender pension gap in Switzerland.
- Swiss Federal prosecutor Stefan Blättler says he wants to see a leniency programme for mafia members. “Key witnesses would help us fight the mafia,” Blättler said in an interview with TamediaExternal link newspapers on Friday. He wants to re-open discussions about reducing sentences for mafia members who agree to collaborate with the authorities in criminal procedures.
- The government has approved a plan to speed up construction of solar, wind and hydroelectric power stations to reduce Switzerland’s dependence on foreign suppliers. A bill drawn up by the economics ministry and approved by cabinet includes speeding up planning and authorisation procedures for power plants of national interest. Appeal procedures will also be shortened. The bill needs to be approved by parliament, which the government hopes will happen this autumn.
- Gender pension gap is higher in Switzerland than the EU average. Women in Switzerland receive lower pensions than men, with a gender gap that amounts to around CHF20,000 ($22,000) a year, says a study by insurance company Swiss Life published on Thursday. The gender pension gap in Switzerland is around 33%, while “on average, in the EU, this pension gap is 25%”, shows the study.
Gruyère international exports fall down: now the production of the Swiss cheese will be reduced by 10%
Exports of Swiss gruyère are down and inflation is up. These are the main reasons why the Interprofession du Gruyère (IPG) announced it will reduce its production by 10% for the whole of 2023, reported Swiss public radio RTSExternal link.
After a US court ruled that gruyère cheese was not just Swiss anymore, one of the most popular culinary products of Switzerland is now suffering another severe blow: the international market is dropping in some countries. These include Belgium, where the decline is 40% and the United Sates with a drop of 25%. The main reasons behind this decline are the war in Ukraine and raging inflation.
So, stocks are starting to pile up and today the Interprofession du Gruyère announced a reduction in its production by 10% for this year. “Exports are down 10% to 15%,” said IPG director Philippe Bardet to Fribourg daily La LibertéExternal link. “The reduction is significant, but necessary in order to maintain a good balance in stocks, without having to cut prices.”
Although Bardet asserts this is a “short-term problem”, producers and farmers are worried because “reductions in quantities are not easy to manage”, explains Didier Roch, cheese producer and member of the IPG committee.
ETH Zurich’s AI technology animates fire creatures in Pixar’s Elemental
If you thought that the latest film Elemental from Walt Disney Studios and Pixar Animation Studio was only made in Hollywood, you might be wrong.
The computer-animated film was surely produced in the US, but without a recent AI technology developed by the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, the protagonist would not have her distinctive flames constantly moving around her head.
Ember is a fiery elemental creature whose head is made of flames and heat currents, which proved to be particularly hard to animate. This is where the Swiss institute comes into action. “Our technology gives the flames a unique style, making it a tool for artists to visually support a story,” says von Barbara SolenthalerExternal link, ETH professor of computer graphics and head of the Simulation and Animation Group.
This new 3D simulation technology was developed under her direction in 2019 and 2020, and shortly after Walt Disney Studios got interested. “The technology was created at ETH and then we transferred it into the Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studio pipelines with the help of Disney Research Studios in Zurich,” explains Solenthaler.
This is not the first time that the institute stands out in Hollywood: in 2021, ETH technology was used for the first time in the computer-animated fantasy film Raya and the Last Dragon and back in 2013, Markus Gross, professor of computer graphics received a “Technical Oscar”. This is the Academy’s scientific and technical award that honours individuals and companies whose innovations have significantly contributed to motion pictures.
Less queues at Zurich airport thanks to pensioners and foreigners
The lack of security staff at Zurich airport had created long queues and prolonged waiting times in Switzerland’s biggest runway this spring.
But, recent figures show that the situation is improving thanks to 200 retired people and foreigners hired by the cantonal police, RSIExternal link reported today. “We’re now able to employ over-65-year-olds and people who have a C permit, so not just those who hold a Swiss passport,” explained Michael Wirth from Zurich’s cantonal police.
Just a few months later, the results are evident: in April the average waiting time was over 16 minutes, while in June it has been reduced to 9 minutes and 57 seconds. The reduction of queues was also helped by new tools like next-generation scanners.
But will this new efficiency hold with the start of the summer holidays?
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