Government wants dual nationals to serve in the Swiss army; new laws that enter into force in June; and more news in our Monday roundup.
Bern to crack down on Swiss-French nationals who avoid military service in Switzerland
Under the agreement concluded between Bern and Paris in 1997, young men who are dual nationals of both Switzerland and France can forego Swiss military service if they attend the “Defence and Citizenship Day” (“la journée défense et citoyenneté”) in France.
Each year, about 800 Franco-Swiss take advantage of this ‘way out’ to dodge the Swiss army.
However, the lack of recruits and increasingly tense security situation in Europe has prompted the Federal Council to seek changes to this nearly 30-year-old rule.
It no longer wants to allow a one-day theory course in France to exempt bi-nationals from the military requirement in Switzerland and wants to re-negotiate the agreement with Paris to this effect.
READ ALSO: Will dual citizens have to do military service in Switzerland?
Changes coming into effect in June:
More foreign eggs on sale in Switzerland
From June 1st, more eggs are allowed to be imported into Switzerland.
This is because per-capita consumption has risen sharply and Swiss hens can no longer keep up.
The Federal Council has therefore increased the import quota accordingly.
Training course for Zurich dog owners will become obligatory
Also from June 1st, all Zurich dog owners must attend a training course, the cantonal government decided.
All first-time dog owners will now be required to complete a two-hour theory course, and all dog owners, old and new, will also have to attend a six-hour practical course.
The new rule extends to all breeds, regardless of size.
That is an important point because until now, only owners of “large and bulky” dogs were required to attend a course, not owners of Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, and other small breeds.
You can see what else is planned for the month of June here:
READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Switzerland in June 2025
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Parliament begins its summer session today
From now until June 20th, Swiss MPs will debate a number of issues that have been awaiting resolution for months and, in some cases, even years.
Among them is whether collective labour agreements should override minimum salaries in cantons where minimum wage laws are in effect (Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Ticino and Basel-City).
MPs will also come back to the still unresolved issue of taxation of married people — whether they should be taxed jointly — as has been the case until now — or separately, that is, on an equal footing with unmarried couples.
You can read about other issues on the parliament’s agenda this month:
READ ALSO: The big political issues at stake in Switzerland this June
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