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Water wells up in importance

This content was published on Mar 22, 2006 Wednesday also sees the end of the fourth World Water Forum in Mexico where countries, among them Switzerland, are expected to sign a declaration on local action in water policy. Swiss tap water is up to 1,000 times more environmentally friendly and cheaper than mineral water, according to a study commissioned by the Swiss Gas…

Youth caught in mental health welfare trap

This content was published on Mar 22, 2006 This trend comes as parliament debates a draft revision law for the beleaguered disability benefit scheme, which posted a deficit of SFr1.7 billion ($1.31 billion) last year. Between 2000 and 2004, the number of 18 and 19 year olds receiving disability welfare payments for psychiatric reasons increased by 40 per cent. The latest figures come…

Carbon tax fuels heated debate in parliament

This content was published on Mar 22, 2006 But opponents in the House of Representatives want to the government to introduce a voluntary levy on fuel instead of a mandatory CO2 tax. Switzerland has pledged to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases by 2012 to below 1990 levels, as required of signatories to the Kyoto protocol, an amendment to the United Nations Convention…

Geneva fights prejudice with anonymous CVs

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 The trial, the first of its kind in Switzerland, has been launched by the canton’s integration office and involves three major employers. Retailer Migros, energy provider SIG and the commune of Vernier have all signed up to the scheme. Under the terms of the project, which will last for three months, jobseekers will send in…

Forestry Day highlights Swiss situation

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 Falling timber prices and increasing competition pose a challenge to the domestic forestry industry, which has to be propped up with subsidies. In the 20th century the amount of forest cover in Switzerland almost doubled. Today if all the trees were felled they would yield 420 million cubic metres of wood, a European record. “Switzerland…

Parliament ends “last mile” monopoly

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 After a three-year debate, the chambers agreed to a compromise plan opening up to competition the four-year right to connect households to exchanges using copper-cable infrastructure. Ending Swisscom’s last mile monopoly in itself was not controversial, but the House of Representatives and Senate were divided over just how far down the road of liberalisation Switzerland…

The importance of explaining nanotechnology

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 Researchers from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich found a lack of guidelines and effort to identify potential side effects, but the Swiss authorities are working to redress the problem. Only two of the 32 companies in Switzerland and Germany surveyed by the institute had investigated the effects of absorption of nanoparticles by living…

Insurer earns big despite storm costs

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 The group said last year’s floods in Switzerland, Austria and Germany had a SFr68 million impact on its pre-tax result, which was significantly lower than its original estimate of SFr100 million. Baloise said on Tuesday all of its insurance and banking sectors contributed to the strong performance. It said it would ask shareholders at its…

Swiss want tougher controls on biopiracy

This content was published on Mar 21, 2006 Rich country firms have long been accused of appropriating indigenous species and local knowledge in poorer countries without adequately compensating the peoples and nations concerned. The head of the Swiss delegation to the meeting, Thomas Kolly, told swissinfo that his team would be supporting efforts to strengthen international rules on so-called “benefit sharing”. The aim…

Think tank moots scrapping customs fees

This content was published on Mar 20, 2006 But the federal customs authorities have rejected the latest Avenir Suisse report as biased. The study says customs barriers cost the Swiss economy about SFr3.8 billion ($2.9 billion) every year. The fees push prices of exports up by 1.9 per cent, while imports cost 2.3 per cent more. In total Switzerland’s gross domestic product suffers…

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Water wells up in importance

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Youth caught in mental health welfare trap

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Carbon tax fuels heated debate in parliament

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Geneva fights prejudice with anonymous CVs

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Forestry Day highlights Swiss situation

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Parliament ends “last mile” monopoly

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The importance of explaining nanotechnology

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Insurer earns big despite storm costs

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Swiss want tougher controls on biopiracy

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Think tank moots scrapping customs fees

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