Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

In Germany, the lowest-priced Netflix subscription is CHF 8,30 (EUR 7.99) a month. The same subscription in Switzerland costs CHF 11.90, a price 43% higher than in Germany. Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.comGiven the large difference between German VAT(19%) and Swiss VAT (7.7%), all other things being equal, Swiss subscribers should expect to pay 10% less than German subscribers. After accounting for the VAT difference the Swiss price premium widens from 43% to 58%. According to...

This week, 118,555 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Switzerland, down 25% from the 157,683 cases reported a week earlier. The reported number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised also fell 20% from 492 to 392 across the week. Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.comCovid-19 deaths were also down. Across the week, 61 Covid-19 related deaths were reported, a figure 13% lower than the 70 reported the week before. In addition, the number of Covid-19 patients in...

Winterthur-based Init7 recently started charging extra for replay TV. Other providers are set to follow, according to 20 Minutes. Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.comUntil recently, replay TV, which allows viewers to record shows and watch them at a time of their choosing, was included at no extra charge to subscribers. The problem with replay TV is that it allows viewers to fast forward through adverts, something that is costing broadcasters money. To recoup the lost advertising revenue,...

According to a recent report by the Federal Housing Office (OFL) there are an estimated 2,200 homeless residents in Switzerland and another 8,000 at risk of losing their homes. Photo by MART PRODUCTION on Pexels.comThe authors of the report collected information from 616 municipalities across 22 cantons to compile the data. 616 municipalities covers around 28% of Switzerland’s total. Reasons often cited for homelessness included overspending, debt, drugs and social factors associated...

Both the UK and Switzerland have lost access to the Europe-wide scientific research programme known as Horizon Europe. The UK dropped out when it left the EU and Switzerland when its bilateral talks with the EU broke down last year. © Denis Linine | Dreamstime.comThe programme supports big projects that would not be possible at a national level. More is more when it comes to making progress in many areas of scientific progress. In a bid to mend the cracks in European scientific...

Data published on 10 February 2022, show that one year after completion of tertiary education 93% of Switzerland’s graduates were employed in a job that matched their level of education or professional qualifications. © Wanida Prapan | Dreamstime.comThe survey, aimed at assessing the level of mismatch between education and employment, found that success at finding a job matching qualifications varied depending on the type of qualification, timing and regional differences in number of...

The percentage of women in senior management positions at companies listed on the Swiss SMI and SMIM indexes rose from 13% in 2020 to 19% in 2021. © Barbara Helgason | Dreamstime.comThe rise reflects an increase in the number of women being nominated for these positions in 2021. During the year 4 out of 10 nominees were women, according to a study by the placement agency Russel Reynolds Association. Most of the newcomers (92%) were women from the US, UK, Germany and France. SMI...

In response to rising welfare costs, Switzerland’s Federal Council has put forward a proposal to cut the amounts paid to non-EU immigrants in Switzerland, reported RTS. © Arsty | Dreamstime.comBetween 2010 and 2019, the cost of welfare in Switzerland rose by CHF 0.9 billion to CHF 2.8 billion (+47%), straining the finances of some cantons and municipalities. The Federal Council has put forward a proposal to contain this rising cost and to encourage better integration into the workforce....

In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic weighed heavily on Swiss foreign trade. But in 2021, exports bounced back, rising 15.2% to reach a record high of CHF 260 billion. © Maen Zayyad | Dreamstime.comThe sharp jump in exports in 2021 caused Switzerland’s trade surplus to reach CHF 58.7 billion, despite rising imports, which were pushed up by rising energy prices and chemical imports. A significant driver behind Switzerland’s higher exports was increased exports of immunological products. These...

Switzerland was ranked tenth in the latest 2021 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) published by Transparency International this week. © Szabolcs Stieber | Dreamstime.comThe index ranks 180 countries and territories around the world by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, with results ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). This year’s index reveals that corruption levels are at a worldwide standstill, said the organisation, with the global average remaining...