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Concorde crash sparks calls for new airport in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 30, 2000 On Tuesday last week, all 109 people on board a Concorde were killed when it came down only minutes after leaving Charles de Gaulle airport. But another five people were killed in the hotel into which the burning aircraft crashed and exploded. In the wake of the accident, Overney has pointed out that the country’s…

Swiss Post Office plans further savings

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 In an interview with the Berner-Zeitung newspaper, Streich hinted at the possibility of developing mobile post offices and suggested cooperating with concerns which operate similar businesses. He said the management of the Post Office had to work within the constraints of the market. Streich believes the public service mandate of the Post Office has to…

Village food shops face an uncertain future

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 In a terse letter, the Frimago distribution company in Zurich informed the stores that supplies to them would end in September, because they were not ordering enough merchandise to warrant deliveries. The announcement caused outrage among many Swiss, who see these small family enterprises as an integral part of the landscape. It also made front-page…

Swiss tourism: aiming for top quality standards

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 The award was created three years ago by the Swiss federal tourism office in a bid to improve the quality of service in Switzerland’s vital tourism sector, a key engine of the Swiss economy. “At first we created a quality charter but found that just signing up outlets to high standards was not enough. So…

The business week in review

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 But it made the deal conditional on the two companies making a range of divestments. The Commission expressed concern that the merged company would be in a position to monopolise markets for crop protection products. AstraZeneca and Novartis said the necessary divestments represented less than five per cent of the sales of the new division,…

With the help of an old blue bus, Roy Probert discovers that Geneva doesn’t have to cost a fortune

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 It’s a far cry from the eerie magnificence of the Jet d’Eau fountain or the grandeur of the old town. When the station does eventually spit the bedraggled backpacker out into the city, he’s confronted with money – expensive boutiques, signs for private banks and insurance companies. “This is a wealthy city,” they seem to…

Vitamin cartel: Roche faces penalties

This content was published on Jul 29, 2000 The two countries are investigating the companies in order to establish whether they are monopolising the vitamin market. Last year, Roche and BASF were condemned by the United States and Canada, and ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in fines. Rhone-Poulenc, the affiliate of the German-Swiss group Aventis, were also subject to stiff…

Bergier Commission sweeps 100 Swiss firms for Nazi labour past

This content was published on Jul 28, 2000 The head of the Commission, Jean-François Bergier, said the research into archives of the firms would be completed shortly. He added that the firms have been cooperating, but said he has no knowledge of the findings. Bergier’s announcement comes after the World Jewish Congress (WJC) threatened legal action against Swiss companies that used slave labour,…

Bank Sarasin posts healthy figures

This content was published on Jul 28, 2000 The Basel-based bank said solid growth in interest, services and trading income explained the results. Interest income rose 34 per cent to SFr24.7 million, while earnings from commissions and services increased 47 per cent to SFr164 million. Trading income was up 36 per cent to SFr27 million. “Barring any extraordinary events, we expect the second…

Internet points the way to distance learning

This content was published on Jul 28, 2000 Participants studying through the “virtual campus” use the Internet to communicate and receive materials online. It’s seen as particularly useful for people who are unable to attend university. A key motivation behind the project is to address the gap between the Swiss and some of their neighbours. Switzerland lags behind the France and Britain, as…

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Internal: Archive

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Concorde crash sparks calls for new airport in Switzerland

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Swiss Post Office plans further savings

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Village food shops face an uncertain future

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Swiss tourism: aiming for top quality standards

More

The business week in review

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With the help of an old blue bus, Roy Probert discovers that Geneva doesn’t have to cost a fortune

More

Vitamin cartel: Roche faces penalties

More

Bergier Commission sweeps 100 Swiss firms for Nazi labour past

More

Bank Sarasin posts healthy figures

More

Internet points the way to distance learning

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