Switzerland told to reinstate border checks; the government supports a federal ban on conversion therapies; and more news in our Friday roundup.
Travel: Switzerland will have to reinstate border checks
Since April 10th, the European Entry/Exit System (EES) has been recording, among other things, the facial images and fingerprints of travelers who do not hold a Swiss, EU, or EFTA passport.
To avoid excessive wait times at EES kiosks at airports during peak travel periods like the summer, Swiss authorities had been able to temporarily suspend – with Brussels’ permission – the collection of this data.
In the meantime, the previous system of manual passport-stamping was reintroduced..
In July, Switzerland – along with eight EU countries – had requested an extension of this relaxation of rules.
The European Commission has, however, refused and the EES will be back in use from Monday September 7th.
The government supports a federal ban on conversion therapies
Neuchâtel, Vaud, Fribourg, and Valais have already enacted legislation banning this controversial practice, aimed at altering sexual orientation or gender identity – but other cantons haven’t.
The Federal Council now deems that a nationwide ban is necessary, and the Council of States will vote on a motion to this effect pending since 2022.
READ MORE: Why Switzerland has not banned ‘gay conversion therapy’
Swiss economy grows rapidly in the second quarter
Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 1.5 percent during the April–June period, compared to the previous quarter, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) announced on Thursday.
Growth has thus accelerated significantly.
In the two preceding quarters, growth rates of just 0.5 percent had been recorded, while the Swiss economy had actually contracted in the third quarter of 2025.
This development is mainly due to two sectors.
“The chemical and pharmaceutical industry made the largest contribution to growth,” SECO said.
Zurich’s Langstrasse proposed as UNESCO World Heritage site
To date, a total of 1,201 people signed a petition calling for Langstrasse to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to the move’s supporters – which includes the city’s mayor Raphael Golta – the petition’s goal is to have UNESCO officially recognise the neighbourhood’s vibrant culture and famous nightlife strip “as a unique social melting pot.”
The fact that the street is also known as Zurich’s crime hub will probably not be mentioned.
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