Tag Archives: Editor’s Choice

Geo-blocking is the practice of pushing online shoppers to a version of a website based on their geographic location. Many consumers would like to see the practice made illegal and Swiss laws look set to make it so, according to the NZZ am Sonntag, reported Le Matin. © Shutter999 | Dreamstime.comGeo-blocking and filtering is particularly pernicious in a place like Switzerland where prices are generally much higher than the rest of Europe. There are broadly two kinds of geography-based...

© Mcherevan | Dreamstime.com Unemployment fell from 2.7% to 2.6% in September 2021 in Switzerland, with a sharp drop among those aged 15 to 24, reported RTS. By the end of September 2021, just over 200,000 people were looking for employment in Switzerland according to Switzerland’s standard measure, which is focused on those registered with the official unemployment office, something required to collect unemployment benefits. However, it means some who run out the 2...

© Cateyeperspective | Dreamstime.com According to a recent survey, one third of Swiss are against the extension of Covid certificates. But most think opposition is higher. Two thirds of those surveyed by Tamedia were happy for Covid certificates to be extended to restaurants and public spaces, reported 20 Minutes. The 67% in favour of the extension were either fully in favour (57%) or fairly in favour of it (10%). The 33% opposed to the extension were either fully...

Unemployment fell from 2.7% to 2.6% in September 2021 in Switzerland, with a sharp drop among those aged 15 to 24, reported RTS. © Mcherevan | Dreamstime.comBy the end of September 2021, just over 200,000 people were looking for employment in Switzerland according to Switzerland’s standard measure, which is focused on those registered with the official unemployment office, something required to collect unemployment benefits. However, it means some who run out the 2 year unemployment...

Bulging waist lines and high rates of heart disease, cancer and type II diabetes are putting increasing pressure on healthcare systems, so the world is on the lookout for ways to tackle the problem. One is food labelling. But few producers want their products labelled as unhealthy. Swiss farmers are no exception. © Zigmunds Dizgalvis | Dreamstime.comAccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these diseases account for 71% of all deaths. Because food choices are central to the rates...

On 4 October 2021, Assura informed 500,000 policy holders they would receive a refund. Earlier, on 28 September 2021, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), presented the company’s premiums for 2022. For many policy holders, next year’s premium increases will substantially exceed this year’s refunds. © Transversospinales | Dreamstime.comNext year, annual premiums under one of Assura’s plans (PharMed) are set to rise by CHF 75 for adult with a CHF 300 deductible and by CHF 62 for a...

The Pandora Papers, a leak of more than 11.9 million files from offshore service providers, reveal the widespread involvement of Swiss advisory firms in the set up of shell companies in tax havens. © Martin Valigursky | Dreamstime.comThe recent Pandora Papers contain far more information than the Panama Papers, which were leaked in 2016 and resulted in the fall of prime ministers in Iceland and Pakistan. The Panama Papers came from a single source, the Panamanian law firm Mossack...

© Zhukovsky | Dreamstime.com On 29 September 2021, Switzerland’s government announced it had signed a contract with Johnson & Johnson to receive 150,000 doses of its Covid-19 vaccine. The delivery of the doses is expected next week. The viral vector vaccine will be used primarily on people who cannot receive mRNA vaccines for medical reasons. However, it will also be made available to those who prefer such vaccines, said the Federal Office of Public Health...

© Francisco Javier Zea Lara | Dreamstime.com Compulsory Swiss health insurance premiums are on average set to fall by 0.2% in 2022, announced the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on 28 September 2021. This is the first time since 2008 that average premiums have fallen. Basic health insurance is compulsory in Switzerland and governed by federal law called LAMal. Insurers must offer basic insurance to everyone who applies regardless of their health or habits....

Source: Facebook On 28 November 2021, Swiss voters will be asked whether they accept laws passed by the government on 19 March 2021 that paved the way for the introduction of Switzerland’s Covid certificate, a system that provides proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test. This is the second time a vote has been organised to challenge the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. On 13 June 2021, voters were given a chance to reverse the first batch of...