Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
Switzerland is firmly in the grip of winter weather. Last night's heavy snowfall brought joy to many but also caused significant disruption on the roads, with numerous accidents and cancellations of public transport services.
Today, I bring you stories about beer consumption in Switzerland and its link to the weather, an ammunition deal that bypassed the Swiss arms embargo to reach Ukraine, and what a potential agreement between Switzerland and the European Union could mean for Swiss universities.
Best wishes from Bern,
Heavy snowfall disrupts transport across Switzerland
The first snow of the season on Friday night caused traffic jams and significant disruption to rail transport in many parts of Switzerland.
In canton Bern, public transport services in the city were completely suspended. An unusually large amount of snow fell across the country on Thursday night, with accumulations ranging from 15 centimetres in Locarno to 58 centimetres in Bosco Gurin, both in canton Ticino.
Records were set in several regions, including 42 centimetres in canton Lucerne, 36 centimetres in canton Glarus and 28 centimetres in cantons Zurich and Basel City. The sheer volume of snow caught many transport operators unprepared, leading to suspended services. However, some resumed regular operations later in the day.
The snow also caused numerous road accidents. Conditions on motorways around Bern were particularly hazardous. According to the Tages-Anzeiger, a military vehicle and a coach collided in the Bern region early in the morning, injuring nine occupants of the military vehicle.
- The Tages-Anzeiger is running a live tickerExternal link on Switzerland’s snow situation (in German)
- Reports from Swiss public radio, RTSExternal link (in French), and our agency in Italian cover the first snowfall
Swiss ammunition sent to Ukraine despite arms embargo
Swiss-made ammunition has reportedly been delivered to Ukraine via Poland, in violation of Switzerland’s arms embargo.
According to the Swiss public television programme “SRF Investigativ”, 145,000 rounds of 0.338 calibre sniper ammunition and 500,000 rounds of 0.308 calibre ammunition were shipped from the Thun-based company Swiss P Defence to Poland on July 10, 2023. However, the ammunition was re-exported to Ukraine just four days later.
“This re-export violates the arms embargo and Switzerland’s principle of not supporting arms deliveries to belligerent states,” the SRF Investigativ report stated.
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), responsible for monitoring arms exports, confirmed it has imposed a delivery ban on the Polish company involved in the transaction.
- Comprehensive report by Swiss public television, SRF InvestigativExternal link (in German)
- Swiss public television, RTS and RSI report in FrenchExternal link and ItalianExternal link
More
EU agreement could cost Swiss universities millions
Swiss universities could face significant financial losses if an agreement is reached between Switzerland and the European Union.
Currently, students from EU countries pay higher tuition fees in Switzerland. However, as part of ongoing negotiations, the EU is demanding that fees for EU students be aligned with those for Swiss students.
Research by Swiss public broadcaster, SRF, indicates this harmonisation could cost Swiss universities around CHF46 million ($72 million) annually, as nearly a fifth of their students come from the EU.
The University of Italian-speaking Switzerland and the University of Applied Sciences in Ticino would suffer the largest losses, amounting to nearly CHF9 million annually. The University of St Gallen faces a potential loss of almost CHF7 million. In light of this, the affected cantons are calling on the federal government for compensation should Switzerland concede to EU demands.
- Article by Swiss public broadcaster, SRFExternal link (in German)
- Reports by Swiss public radio, RSI and RTS (in ItalianExternal link and FrenchExternal link), note that EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is scheduled to visit Bern later this month to discuss the Swiss financial contribution in return for partial access to the European single market
Beer consumption declines amid unfavourable weather
Finally, let’s talk about the weather’s impact on beer consumption in Switzerland. Per capita beer consumption has fallen below 50 litres per year for the first time.
According to Watson.ch, beer sales by domestic breweries declined more sharply than imports. The Brewers’ Association attributes the drop to the rainy spring, which reduced opportunities for outdoor social gatherings where beer is typically enjoyed. “If the spring was bad, the brewing year was practically over,” they explained.
Changing habits also played a role, with many restaurants closing in 2024 and Switzerland’s traditional “regulars’ table” culture fading.
- Report from Watson.chExternal link (in German)
- Coverage from La LibertéExternal link (in French) and Ticino OnlineExternal link (in Italian)
Picture of the day
Snow can also reveal nature’s beauty. Here’s a serene view of Bürkliplatz on Lake Zurich, taken on Friday, November 22, 2024. After the heavy overnight snowfall, the sun reappeared, highlighting the snow-covered quay.
Translated from German using DeepL/amva/ac
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