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Tax rates lower than in comparable countries

The Swiss pay less in income tax and social security contributions than people in most industrialised countries, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The study, Taxing Wages, drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), puts Switzerland in 24th position out of its 30 member states.

It says that in 2008 a single person earning an average wage was left with SFr70.5 ($63.6) for every SFr100 which they cost their employer. In the 30 OECD states as a whole, a similar person had on average only SFr62.60.

People in Belgium, Hungary and Germany pay the highest taxes and deductions, the study found.

The figures for Switzerland were calculated on the basis of the tax regime of the city of Zurich.

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