Author: switzerlandtimes.ch

Foreign motorists passing through Switzerland without stopping may soon have to pay. This week, after the upper house, parliament also approved a proposal to introduce a transit toll, reported SRF. The move reflects growing concern about congestion on Switzerland’s trans-Alpine routes. Traffic through the Gotthard corridor regularly grinds to a halt on weekends and public holidays, with queues stretching for kilometres. The strain is felt not only by residents but also by fragile Alpine ecosystems. Previous attempts to curb traffic with tolls have failed to win support; this proposal however, has now cleared parliament and the Council of States, Switzerland’s…

Switzerland will no longer approve new licences for arms exports to the United States, reported SRF. The Federal Council announced the move on Friday in response to the American war against Iran. The government said its decision was guided by Switzerland’s neutrality and the War Materiel Act. For the duration of the conflict, it argued, exports of war materiel to countries involved could not be authorised. Existing licences remain valid for now. The Federal Council said they are not directly linked to the conflict. Nevertheless, an expert group drawn from the departments of economic affairs, foreign affairs and defence will…

The Federal Council has sent a package of agreements with the European Union to parliament, allowing lawmakers to begin debating a plan aimed at stabilising and developing Switzerland’s relations with the bloc. Presenting the proposal in Bern, Guy Parmelin, the president of the confederation, said the package was in Switzerland’s interest. Strengthening the bilateral approach, he argued, was the only way to preserve a balanced degree of political autonomy while maintaining close ties with the EU in economic, scientific and social fields. The government says a stable legal framework is essential. Without updating existing agreements, it argues, the bilateral relationship…

After an unusually mild spell, winter is set to return to Switzerland this weekend. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply—by about 10°C—between Friday night and Saturday, according to MétéoSuisse. Snow is also forecast to return, although the snowline and expected amounts remain uncertain. Spring had seemed to arrive early this year, with trees budding and daffodils already in bloom. But by Saturday afternoon temperatures in the lowlands may reach only 7–8°C. That would mark a sharp contrast with recent conditions, when several local records for late February were broken. On February 27th temperatures reached 20°C in Fahy and 17.6°C in…

After revelations that its mineral water had been filtered, Henniez can no longer use the activated-carbon filters that once removed traces of pesticides. The Swiss bottler, owned by Nestlé Waters, must now stop using part of the water from some springs and instead adjust the blend of remaining sources so that the final product complies with legal limits. The information comes from documents obtained by RTS after two years of transparency requests. In January 2024 it emerged that Henniez had filtered its so-called natural mineral water with activated carbon. Under Swiss law, mineral water must be naturally pure to carry…

Public-sector workers in Geneva have issued a strike notice for April 23rd in protest against expected cuts in the cantonal budget, reported RTS. On Thursday evening the general assembly of the Cartel Intersyndical, an umbrella group of unions, also approved plans for a demonstration a week earlier. The cantonal government is due to present a new draft budget at the end of March. A panel of experts had been asked to identify potential savings of CHF 500m. Some unions fear the cuts could be even deeper. In a resolution adopted unanimously, public-sector employees criticised what they describe as repeated forecasting…

Swiss wine faces falling consumption and stiff competition from abroad. The federal government now wants to intervene. But its proposed rules have met resistance from parts of the industry, reported SRF. At present, wine imports operate on a first come, first served basis. Each year a fixed quantity of wine can be imported under preferential tariffs. Importers who secure a share of the quota early benefit from lower duties. That system could soon change. Under the federal government’s proposal, import quotas would be granted primarily to those who also buy and process Swiss grapes. Merchants push backProducers of Swiss wine…

As we navigate through 2026, the traditional two-dimensional screen is no longer the final frontier for work. The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) into workplace platforms is giving rise to the “Spatial Workplace.” This evolution moves us beyond video calls and into immersive environments where distance is irrelevant and collaboration is sensory. For hybrid teams, spatial technology solves the “presence deficit”—the feeling of being a detached observer rather than an active participant in a meeting. By stepping into a shared virtual office, employees can interact with 3D models, brainstorm on infinite digital whiteboards, and read the…

Swiss voters rejected an initiative to slash the national radio-television fee while approving a reform introducing individual taxation for married couples. They also backed a government counter-proposal on cash in the constitution and rejected a climate fund. Broadcasting fee initiative rejectedVoters rejected the initiative “200 francs is enough!”, which proposed cutting the radio-television fee from CHF 335 to CHF 200 per household and abolishing the levy on companies. According to the official provisional result, 61.92% voted against the proposal and 38.08% supported it, with all cantons rejecting the initiative. The Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) lamented the result. In a statement…

Switzerland’s government has rejected a popular initiative by the Green Party of Switzerland that would make solar installations mandatory for all new buildings and major renovations, reported RTS. On Friday the Federal Council of Switzerland dismissed the proposal without offering a counter-proposal, arguing that it would infringe on private property rights. The government acknowledged that Switzerland must significantly expand domestic energy production. But requiring solar panels on all new or renovated buildings would interfere with property rights and the constitutional guarantee of ownership, it said in a statement. Implementing the initiative could also complicate the division of responsibilities between the…