Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

Switzerland’s consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.1% in January 2025. Across 12 months inflation was +0.4%, reported the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Annual inflation at the end of January 2025 is the lowest it has been since April 2021 when it was +0.3%. © Rochu2008 | Dreamstime.comWhile many nations, such as the UK and the US, are struggling to rein in inflation, Switzerland is going against the grain. In the US annual inflation rose to 3% at the end of January 2025 and in...

In the very early days of skiing, checking whether skiers had valid ski passes was hit and miss. However, today, with modern technology it has become easy. According to a report by SRF, the ski resort of Verbier catches an average of three to four people a day passing through the turnstiles with a ‘borrowed’ ski pass. Every year the resort catches around 500 cheats and issues fines of more than CHF 100,000. The resort has cameras next to the turnstiles. These cameras allow real time...

After a stalemate last week, Switzerland’s federal parliament and upper house found a way forward this week on the abolition of imputed rent that both houses could agree on, reported SRF. Photo by Thomas P on Pexels.comFor more than seven years, the National Council and the Council of States have been discussing how to do away with the imputed rent, which is an amount added to the taxable income of homeowners. Now, after a lot of back and forth, the two houses have finally agreed on a way...

A project to end Switzerland’s controversial system of imputed rent was launched more than seven years ago. This week, discussions in Bern suggest the project’s chances of sucess remain narrow. Photo by Melike Benli on Pexels.comIn Switzerland, anyone who owns a property retained as a primary or secondary residence must add a fictional rent to their taxable income, which is calculated based on the location and size of the property. The system was introduced during the second world war to...

On Thursday, Switzerland’s federal parliament accepted a budget for 2025 by 120 versus 73 votes, reported RTS. Opposing votes came from politicians on the left, who make up a large minority in Switzerland’s lower house. Photo by Louis on Pexels.comIncluded in the budget were an increase in military spending, cuts to farm subsidies and large cuts to international aid. Increases in state pensions, known as an extra 13th month, will go ahead as planned starting in 2026. Spending on...

New data show that tourism accounts for 25% of the total traffic on Swiss roads, reported SRF. The Federal Council report shows that leisure and tourism account for 53% of passenger road traffic, with the other 47% made up of commuting to and from work. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.comRegular leisure traffic by residents of Switzerland accounted for 27% of road traffic, 12% was locals engaging in tourism, 13% foreigners travelling for tourism and 47% commuting. The remaining 1% is...

In Switzerland, nearly half a million people are struggling with debt. This week, parliament discussed new measures that may offer relief to those unable to dig themselves out of insolvency, reported RTS. Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.comIn Switzerland, personal bankruptcy does not extinguish your debts in the same way as it does across much of the rest of world. Instead, once all your assets have been liquidated, any remaining creditors receive IOUs for any money still owed to them....

Across much of the developed world, gender pay disparities all but disappear if comparisons are made like for like, looking at individuals doing the same function in the same company, according to Korn Ferry Hay Group research, which looked at 20 million salaries at 25,000 organizations in 100 nations. However, because of job and career differences women continue on average to earn less than men. Recent data published by Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show this average pay...

Electric heat pumps have a lower carbon footprint than gas and oil heating systems. They are more energy efficient, and, when gas, coal and oil electricity generation are eventually phased out of the grid, they will be close to emission free. However, the number of heat pumps being installed in Switzerland is falling, and the number of new gas and oil heating systems is on the rise, according to a report by RTS. Photo by Heiko Ruth on Pexels.comSo far in 2024, Swiss homeowners have...

Last weekend, Swiss voters rejected a plan to invest in road infrastructure, partly due to the CHF 4.9 billion price tag. This week, Switzerland’s federal parliament learned the CHF 16.4 billion budgeted for rail infrastructure expansion between now and 2035 could reach more than CHF 30 billion, reported SRF. Swiss Rail © Ciolca | Dreamstime.comThe cost overrun was first reported by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and later confirmed by the Federal Office of Transport (FOT). CHF 8.5 billion of...