Swiss Abroad

Swiss-EU bilateral relations to be tested

This content was published on Jan 11, 2010 For the next eight days the European Parliament is holding a series of public hearings with the 26 candidate Commissioners in Brussels. Swiss diplomats will be watching closely to see how the new Commission will deal with the thorny subject of tax. Ahead of the parliamentary grilling, the incoming European commissioners already provided written answers…

Swiss Politics

No Swiss rethink on ending aid to North Korea

This content was published on Jan 9, 2010 The foreign ministry says it now has a strategy for the withdrawal of Swiss development workers from the communist country by the end of 2011. In 2008 the government approved a motion by parliamentarian Gerhard Pfister demanding a halt to development aid in response to North Korea’s continuing nuclear ambitions. “The atomic weapon programme violates…

Swiss Politics

China warns Swiss over asylum cases

This content was published on Jan 7, 2010 Switzerland is currently studying the case of two brothers from the Chinese province of Xinjiang, who are due to be released as the US-run jail is closed down. They have never been charged with any offence, and the western canton of Jura has said it is ready to accept them. But the Chinese embassy in…

Swiss Politics

Urban refugees tell their tale

This content was published on Jan 5, 2010 “A struggle for rights” depicts the urban refugees who often live unnoticed among their neighbours in three cities in three countries: Colombia, Malaysia, and South Africa. Today, more than half of the world’s refugees live in urban situations.

Swiss Politics

New president eyes challenges ahead

This content was published on Jan 1, 2010 As she tells swissinfo.ch, good relations with foreign countries are essential if Switzerland is to solve its economic problems. swissinfo.ch: There is a lot of unfinished business and unresolved problems left behind from 2009. Are you looking forward to your presidential year or are you embarking on it with a certain amount of trepidation? Doris…

Swiss Politics

“Switzerland needs no EU defender”

This content was published on Dec 31, 2009 Fernando Riquelme, Spain’s ambassador to Bern, explains to swissinfo.ch Madrid’s outlook on sensitive Swiss topics like banking secrecy and the anti-minaret initiative. With its willingness to renegotiate double taxation treaties, Switzerland has shown a desire to adapt to the OECD rules on banking secrecy. For that reason, Riquelme says Switzerland needs no “defender” at the…

Swiss Politics

Civilian service victim of own popularity

This content was published on Dec 31, 2009 The head of the Civilian Service, Samuel Werenfels, told Swiss public radio on Thursday that 7,000 applications had been submitted in 2009, nearly three times more than were expected. Since April, conscientious objectors to military service are no longer screened, giving young Swiss men what amounts to a choice between becoming soldiers or doing work…

Swiss Politics

Swiss happy to see end of EU annus horribilis

This content was published on Dec 29, 2009 Workers in Brussels and the media – not to mention satirists – were all grateful to the Swiss government, UBS, banking secrecy, Roman Polanski and November’s referendum on minarets for giving them such juicy material to work with throughout the year. “No one in Brussels has ever talked about Switzerland so much!” said one European…

Swiss Politics

Swiss help put Palestinian produce on the table

This content was published on Dec 28, 2009 Around one-third of the West Bank is farmed, yet most meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are imported because the quantity of local produce is insufficient and many people do not trust the quality. A Swiss-sponsored project is for the first time bringing together producers and retailers to try to change the negative perceptions of Palestinian…

Swiss Politics

Detained Swiss in Libya hampered by legal fog

This content was published on Dec 28, 2009 Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani are scheduled in early January to be tried for a second time in Libyan court, this time over business and tax violations. One thing is already evident: the Libyans have ignored their own laws handling the case. “The rules for a fair trial are very clear,” said Daniel Graf, a…

Swiss Abroad

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Swiss Abroad

More

Swiss-EU bilateral relations to be tested

More

No Swiss rethink on ending aid to North Korea

More

China warns Swiss over asylum cases

More

Urban refugees tell their tale

More

New president eyes challenges ahead

More

“Switzerland needs no EU defender”

More

Civilian service victim of own popularity

More

Swiss happy to see end of EU annus horribilis

More

Swiss help put Palestinian produce on the table

More

Detained Swiss in Libya hampered by legal fog

Popular Stories

Most Discussed