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Chocolate packaging comes under fire

This content was published on Apr 15, 2006 Under attack is the decision to package chocolate in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic resin commonly used to bottle drinks. The Vevey-based food giant launched the new-look confectionery in February with a glitzy advertising campaign, splashed across Swiss hoardings, newspapers and televisions. French star architect Jean Nouvel was commissioned to revitalise Cailler, one of the…

Netting the perfect partner

This content was published on Apr 14, 2006 The most popular Swiss dating agencies – swissflirt, friendscout24, meetic and match.com – each have up to 260,000 registered users, according to a recent report. Considering Switzerland’s population is about 7.4 million – with only around five million of “dating” age (over 18) – it seems likely that several users are trying their luck at…

Action urged over desertification and poverty

This content was published on Apr 13, 2006 The conference, organised by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the United Nations, ended on Wednesday evening and focused on the human side of desertification: hunger, poverty and forced migration. This year has been designated the International Year of Deserts and Desertification by the UN. The world body estimates that almost a…

Abacha funds to dominate Swiss-Nigeria talks

This content was published on Apr 13, 2006 While Switzerland has ensured most of the money has been returned, some funds are being held because of concerns over their use back in Africa. Obasanjo is to meet Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger on Thursday. The two men will discuss the return of the Abacha funds as well migration issues and economic ties, according to…

Cheaper goods face rocky road

This content was published on Apr 13, 2006 Switzerland’s price regulator, Rudolf Strahm, told swissinfo vested interests and legislation incompatible with EU norms are keeping Swiss prices high. Swiss consumers pay 20-30 per cent more than their counterparts in neighbouring European countries for the same goods. One reason for the difference is the current restriction on parallel, or direct, imports from EU member…

Roche faces new hurdle in getting drug to US market

This content was published on Apr 12, 2006 Amgen, the world’s largest biotech company, has asked the US authorities to block imports of the “potential blockbuster” drug Cera, claiming Roche copied its processing methods. “Roche remains confident that Cera does not infringe on any patent. The fact that Cera was granted a patent in the US in 2003 shows that it is a…

The five stays but the one goes

This content was published on Apr 12, 2006 However, the one-centime coin is to disappear. The cabinet said it was no longer used for payments and its value was only symbolic. Finance minister Hans-Rudolf Merz had already said in the media in February that he was not in favour of withdrawing the five-centime coin from circulation. Consumers’ organisations, in particular, had raised objections…

Industrial sector shows dynamic growth

This content was published on Apr 12, 2006 Switzerland’s largest bank said on Wednesday that it expected the upturn to continue unabated in the second quarter of the year. A quarterly survey of 330 companies in March showed that all sectors benefited from the strong growth. Firms said they believed that it had not yet peaked. “The positive results means the entire Swiss…

Cantons say smog measures justified

This content was published on Apr 12, 2006 In all, the cantons which introduced the measure said smog levels dropped by up to ten per cent. But they say more has to be done. In February about half the country’s cantons – mainly in the German-speaking part of the country – reduced speed limits along motorways in northern and central Switzerland from 120…

UBS angles more wealthy American clients

This content was published on Apr 11, 2006 The deal to buy the brokerage unit for wealthy investors will strengthen UBS’s position in the United States. It also includes taking on $300 million in client loans from the Minnesota-based company. The purchase will increase UBS assets by $52 billion and add almost 90 branch offices located across 17 US states. Piper Jaffray, which…

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Chocolate packaging comes under fire

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Netting the perfect partner

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Action urged over desertification and poverty

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Abacha funds to dominate Swiss-Nigeria talks

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Cheaper goods face rocky road

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Roche faces new hurdle in getting drug to US market

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The five stays but the one goes

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Industrial sector shows dynamic growth

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Cantons say smog measures justified

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UBS angles more wealthy American clients

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