Zurich airport launches the EU Entry/Exit System (EES); new tariff agreement between Switzerland and the US is not a ‘done deal’ yet; and more news in our Monday roundup.
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) to begin at the Zurich airport today
Zurich Airport will implement the new system from today, November 17th, which will change border control procedures for third-country nationals.
Travellers from Switzerland and EU/EFTA countries will not be affected.
The scheme has already been in place at Geneva and Basel EuroAIrport since October 12th – the same date as its introduction in the European Union.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about the start of new border checks at Swiss airports
New tariff deal with the US is not yet set in stone
Swiss business leaders breathed a sigh of relief Friday after Washington and Bern announced an agreement to more than halve the steep 39-percent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
The deal slashing the tariffs on Swiss imports to 15 percent brought the rate on par with the European Union.
However, as Swiss media pointed out, the signed declaration has no legal force, even if Washington believes it is sufficient to quickly implement the new deal.
But the declaration must be transformed into a formal contract in the coming months, which implies further discussions that could modify the initial text.
And once the agreement is finalised, the Parliament – and potentially the people – will have the final say in a referendum.
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The proportion of foreign executives in Switzerland has reached a record high
The management teams of major Swiss companies have never been so international.
A report by the recruitment firm Guido Schilling reveals that only 51 percent of board members in the country’s 100 largest companies are Swiss – a historic low.
In major companies listed on Swiss Market Index (SMI), the proportion drops even further to 27 percent.
“In 1980, only 4 percent of senior executives in Switzerland were foreign,” recalls Stéphanie Ginalski, a historian at the University of Lausanne.
Most foreign executives today come from Germany, the United States, Great Britain, and France.
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Basel-Country considers incorporating cable car lifts into its public transport network
To relieve traffic jams, the canton could deploy cable cars to switch some of the transport from the roads to air.
A motion to this effect was approved by the cantonal parliament.
It was instigated by MP Manuel Ballmer, who said this “visionary idea” had generated a lot of support.
Authorities would still have to decide where exactly the cable cars would be built.
Possibilities include the Pratteln area or even across the Rhine river to Germany.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at news@thelocal.ch
