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NGOs take aim at free-trade accords

This content was published on Jun 8, 2006 Critics this week are highlighting the negative impact of stricter intellectual property rights and market liberalisation on people in poorer countries. The non-governmental organisation Berne Declaration, along with civil society representatives from Thailand and Indonesia, are due to outline their concerns to Swiss parliamentarians and the economics ministry later this week. Efta, which also includes…

Senate pulls plug on Swisscom privatisation

This content was published on Jun 7, 2006 Wednesday’s decision by the Senate ends months of heated political debate and crushes the cash-rich company’s hopes of growth through acquisitions. The vote comes a month after the other parliamentary chamber, the House of Representatives, also rejected the sell-off plans. The government’s plan, announced in November last year, to sell its 62.45 per cent stake…

Weather rituals

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006

Introduction of road tax to be kept on course

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 They issued the appeal on Tuesday to counter an anti-road tax campaign launched recently by the Swiss road hauliers association. The road pricing system for heavy vehicles came into effect on January 1, 2001. All Swiss and foreign vehicles weighing at least 3.5 tons must pay the tax to use the road networks in Switzerland…

Zurich’s fascination with money revealed

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 An exhibition entitled “The People of Zurich and their Money” at the Museum Bärengasse, in the heart of the banking district, charts Zurich’s rise from backwater to financial powerhouse. The story starts with the discovery of Celtic coins, dated at around 100 BC, at the site of the current stock exchange and moves right up…

swiss cheese looks to expand its empire

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 Only a third of annual cheese production is for export, but this is likely to change amid further steps to remove trade barriers with the European Union. There is some truth to the idea that cheese, like chocolate, is one of Switzerland’s staple foods. It comes with or without holes, in soft or hard varieties,…

nestlé serves up food for the future

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 Drawing on its long innovative tradition, the company is developing food products tailored to the needs of the individual. But this process is not without its critics. “For more than a century the principle need has been to cover the food requirements of a growing population,” says Nestlé chief executive Peter Brabeck in a promotional…

swiss made trademark could lose value

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 swissinfo caught up with Karl-Friederich Scheufele, co-president of watchmaker Chopard, and one of those demanding tougher rules for branding. Under current legislation, a Swiss watch can be made up from low-cost elements produced in Asia, such as the dial, the bracelet and the hands, and be branded Swiss Made. This situation is a major concern…

Cabinet election set to dominate summer session

This content was published on Jun 6, 2006 But there are also major issues for debate on the agenda of the three-week session, including the taxation of married couples. The federal assembly, which is a joint meeting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, will elect a cabinet minister to replace Deiss on June 14. There has been little betting on the…

Swiss authorities want to avoid road chaos

This content was published on Jun 5, 2006 The aim is to formulate recommendations for heavy goods traffic to bypass Switzerland because the A2 motorway will remain closed for at least three weeks. Authorities are now preparing to detonate dangerous overhanging rocks between Amsteg and Göschenen at the northern end of the Gotthard road tunnel. A rockslide last Wednesday crushed a German-registered car…

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NGOs take aim at free-trade accords

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Senate pulls plug on Swisscom privatisation

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Weather rituals

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Introduction of road tax to be kept on course

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Zurich’s fascination with money revealed

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swiss cheese looks to expand its empire

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nestlé serves up food for the future

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swiss made trademark could lose value

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Cabinet election set to dominate summer session

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Swiss authorities want to avoid road chaos

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