Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

20 Minutes. Switzerland’s deal with the EU involves a financial contribution. The sum announced by the Federal Council is CHF 1.3 billion over the next 10 years. © Marko Bukorovic | Dreamstime The arrangement, announced on Thursday to coincide with a visit by european commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, extends a previous 10 year deal. Not everyone is happy with the deal. Some, such as the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) think it is scandalous describing it as a 1.3 billion franc gift at...

A recent report from Switzerland Federal Statistical Office shows how an average Swiss household spends its income. © Bigpressphoto | Dreamstime In 2015, the mean income was CHF 9,946 per month, including all forms of income and any 13th month payment received at the end of the year. This means an average Swiss household of 2.17 people had CHF 119,352 coming in across the year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the disposable portion of it was 70%. The largest slice of income went...

© Wrangel | Dreamstime - Click to enlarge The Credit Suisse 2017 Global Wealth Report, shows total global wealth rose 6.4% to USD 280 trillion in 2016, taking it to the its highest level since 2007, before the financial meltdown in 2008. Globally, average wealth per adult was USD 56,540. In Switzerland, the same figure was USD 537,600 (CHF 533,000), close to ten times the global average, placing Switzerland in the...

The Credit Suisse 2017 Global Wealth Report, shows total global wealth rose 6.4% to USD 280 trillion in 2016, taking it to the its highest level since 2007, before the financial meltdown in 2008. © Wrangel | Dreamstime Globally, average wealth per adult was USD 56,540. In Switzerland, the same figure was USD 537,600 (CHF 533,000), close to ten times the global average, placing Switzerland in the lead, if Iceland – with unreliable data – is ignored. Median Swiss wealth is somewhat lower: USD...

The Credit Suisse 2017 Global Wealth Report, shows total global wealth rose 6.4% to USD 280 trillion in 2016, taking it to the its highest level since 2007, before the financial meltdown in 2008. © Wrangel | Dreamstime Globally, average wealth per adult was USD 56,540. In Switzerland, the same figure was USD 537,600 (CHF 533,000), close to ten times the global average, placing Switzerland in the lead, if Iceland – with unreliable data – is ignored. Median Swiss wealth is somewhat lower: USD...

The idea of digital IDs in Switzerland has been kicked around since 2002 when the government decided it was a good idea. Since then it has been hotly debated. Following a process of consultation, the government met on 15 November 2017, and announced it’s aiming to have some form of digital or e-ID written into Swiss law between now and the summer of 2018. © One Photo | Dreamstime The idea is simple. Government-issued physical IDs, such as passports, work well in person, however on the...

This week, Switzerland moved closer to requiring minimum percentages of women on company boards and management teams. © Cecilia Lim | Dreamstime A parliamentary commission came out in support of the Federal Council’s plan to require greater gender balance in the boardrooms of Switzerland’s large listed companies. A commission majority (14 versus 11) would like to see a minimum of 30% of board members and 20% of the management of these companies made up of each gender – a 100% female boardroom...

According to the newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, Switzerland’s federal government wants to allow Switzerland’s residents to claim for drugs bought abroad. Prices across the border are generally far lower. © Mike Clegg | Dreamstime As recently as March 2017, the government told insurers that anyone buying medicines abroad would have to pay for them out of their own pockets. Now they appear to be reconsidering. The NZZ said that drugs with expired patents cost on average 61% more in Switzerland than...

At the end of September the Swiss government announced an average nationwide health premium rise of 4% in 2018. © Pogonici | Dreamstime This government calculation is rather narrow. It only looks at the price of standard compulsory insurance, including accident cover, for an adult with a CHF 300 deductible. Price comparison site bonus.ch calculates that this policy configuration only applies to 18.3% of residents. When all available policy variations are included the average rise is 5.1%....

© Pogonici | Dreamstime - Click to enlarge At the end of September the Swiss government announced an average nationwide health premium rise of 4% in 2018. This government calculation is rather narrow. It only looks at the price of standard compulsory insurance, including accident cover, for an adult with a CHF 300 deductible. Price comparison site bonus.ch calculates that this policy configuration only applies to 18.3%...