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EU fails to agree on tax negotiating mandate

This content was published on Feb 27, 2007 The Commission believes the generous Swiss tax breaks given to holding companies amount to illegal state aid and are in violation of bilateral agreements. EU member states met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss for the first time a negotiating mandate in the tax dispute, but the so-called Efta Group failed to reach an agreement.…

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Ambassador calls for stronger Nato commitment

This content was published on Feb 27, 2007 Mayor told the Swiss News Agency the Swiss military contribution was minimal, mainly due to parliamentary resistance in Switzerland. Switzerland is a partner member of Nato, which includes participation in the organisation’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) and Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. It has no plans to join the military alliance, as this would compromise Swiss neutrality.…

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OECD demands more Swiss development aid

This content was published on Feb 22, 2007 The recommendation is included in the OECD’s “Development Cooperation Report”, which was published on Thursday in Berlin. The report looks at overall aid volume and examines whether donors are on track to reach their goal of increasing aid to $130 billion (SFr161 billion) globally and doubling aid to Africa by 2010. It said Switzerland’s contribution…

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Legal debate rages in EC-Swiss tax row

This content was published on Feb 21, 2007 But they say the argument connecting tax breaks offered by cantons to attract foreign firms and “illegal” trade subsidies is more likely to be settled in political corridors than in the courts. The EC last week moved the long running tax saga to a new level by issuing a 17-page document claiming that Switzerland’s tax…

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Trendy uniforms fail to appeal to students

This content was published on Feb 19, 2007 Students will now revert to their usual gear, but another attempt at uniforms will be made during the next school year with younger pupils, using a simpler set of clothing. The experiment, which was keenly watched across Switzerland, where students do not usually wear uniforms, was aimed at measuring how the clothing affected pupils’ performances,…

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Leuthard targets developing markets

This content was published on Feb 16, 2007 Leuthard, a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Party, tells swissinfo about the need for greater liberalisation, not only for industrial goods and services but also in agriculture. swissinfo: Your first trade visit as economics minister took you to Brazil – what were the most important results? Doris Leuthard: We signed a memorandum of understanding…

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Landsgemeinde

This content was published on Feb 15, 2007 The Landsgemeinde is one of the oldest and simplest forms of direct democracy in Switzerland. All registered electors are invited once a year to assemble in the open air to elect with a show of hands the government (Appenzell Inner Rhodes), and to vote on the constitution and laws or set tax levels (Appenzell Inner…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss slap sanctions on Iran

This content was published on Feb 14, 2007 The move comes two days after Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey held informal discussions with Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani on the nuclear stand-off. On Wednesday the cabinet announced an embargo on all goods that could serve Iran’s nuclear or ballistic missile programmes. The Swiss authorities have also frozen a number of Iranian assets.…

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Swiss Politics

EU declares tax war on Swiss cantons

This content was published on Feb 13, 2007 The commission said low corporate taxes offered by cantons such as Obwalden and Zug violated a 1972 trade agreement, calling it a disguised state subsidy. “Switzerland enjoys the benefits of privileged access to the [European Union] internal market and must accept the responsibilities that go along with this,” said EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner…

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EU fails to agree on tax negotiating mandate

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Ambassador calls for stronger Nato commitment

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OECD demands more Swiss development aid

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Legal debate rages in EC-Swiss tax row

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Trendy uniforms fail to appeal to students

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Leuthard targets developing markets

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Landsgemeinde

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Swiss slap sanctions on Iran

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EU declares tax war on Swiss cantons

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