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This business week ahead

This content was published on Jun 18, 2000 The World Trade Organisation’s working party on China kicks off a closed door session today to prepare the final details for Beijing’s entry into the organisation. China’s accession is imminent, after the United States gave its reluctant blessing, and the European Union ironed out its remaining problems with Beijing. On Wednesday, the International Labour Organisation…

Couchepin moots incentives to integrate disabled into workplace

This content was published on Jun 17, 2000 Couchepin told the annual conference of Pro Infirmis, in Neuchâtel, that companies should be free to decide their own recruitment policies. Pro Infirmis is an umbrella group representing disabled people. Couchepin said the goodwill of employers should be encouraged through incentives designed to offset the additional costs of hiring handicapped workers. The minister’s comments were…

Villiger says planned bank can safeguard future of Post Office

This content was published on Jun 17, 2000 Villiger said he understood the concerns of banks faced with the prospect of a new competitor, but that the government had been forced to respond to the massive structural reforms in the postal sector. He conceded that the changes were less visible than in the telecommunications sector, but said they were nonetheless present. The finance…

Business review

This content was published on Jun 17, 2000 – Tuesday, Switzerland’s Sanar Polymer bought US automotive part supplier, Blue Water Pastics, paying SFr215 million. – Tuesday, the Swiss government said it wants to be able to sell its majority stake in telecom group, Swisscom. It also wants to create a Postbank as a means for the postal service to finance mail and deliveries.…

Overseas experts recommend more autonomy for Swiss statistics office

This content was published on Jun 16, 2000 The study was carried out by two Canadian experts: the head of Canada’s Statistics Office, Ivan Fellegi, and a former colleague, Jacob Ryten. They were asked to conduct a thorough peer review of the Statistics Office’s operations, amid concerns that it was “in danger of becoming blinkered”, in the words of its director, Carlo Malaguerra.…

Swiss hoteliers sleep easy

This content was published on Jun 16, 2000 In total, there were 14.5 million overnight stays in Swiss hotels over the winter. Bookings from abroad were particularly strong, rising 6.7 per cent. There was a marked increase in the number of German and British tourists. The statistics office said early snow at the beginning of the season in November, as good snow and…

Economics minister calls for more co-operation in WTO

This content was published on Jun 16, 2000 “The outcome, or rather the non-outcome of the Seattle conference has made it clear that an enhanced dialogue on this question has become all the more important,” he said. “It is essential for our economies to continue to join forces in order to fight protectionist pressures and to promote and to practice continued liberalisation of…

World number one cement maker looking to expand

This content was published on Jun 16, 2000 World number one cement maker looking to expand The world’s number one supplier of cement and aggregates, Holderbank, has announced plans to spend some SFr4 billion on the largest expansion in its history. However, the Portuguese government opposes the move. A communiqué from Holderbank headquarters in Glarus said that the new activities would be in…

German nuclear plan fuels debate in Switzerland

This content was published on Jun 15, 2000 Under the agreement, Germany’s 19 power plants are to be closed after a lifespan of 32 years. That means the last nuclear plant will cease operations in 20 years’ time. The German decision is likely to have major repercussions in Switzerland, where a similar debate over nuclear energy has been going on for many years.…

Government plans festival to improve public understanding of science

This content was published on Jun 15, 2000 The festival, entitled “Limits and Opportunities of Science”, won’t get underway until May next year, but the organisers are allowing plenty of lead time to publicise the project. It’s the brainchild of the “Fondation Science et Cité”, which was approached by the government to come up with ways of bringing science into the arena of…

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This business week ahead

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Couchepin moots incentives to integrate disabled into workplace

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Villiger says planned bank can safeguard future of Post Office

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Business review

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Overseas experts recommend more autonomy for Swiss statistics office

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Swiss hoteliers sleep easy

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Economics minister calls for more co-operation in WTO

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World number one cement maker looking to expand

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German nuclear plan fuels debate in Switzerland

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Government plans festival to improve public understanding of science

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