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A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

GenevaTimes by GenevaTimes
August 7, 2025
in Switzerland
Reading Time: 3 mins read
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A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
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Hefty US tariffs to go into effect in Switzerland today; Bern’s plan to allow pet owners a joint burial with their animals sparks concerns; and more news in our Thursday roundup.

US trade tariffs for Switzerland go into effect today

Unless a new deal is struck at the last minute, the 39-percent customs duty on Swiss imports to the United States will be enforced from today, August 7th, with the potential to seriously impact certain sectors of Switzerland’s economy.  

 

Meanwhile, Swiss president Karin Keller-Sutter and economy minister Guy Parmelin, who travelled  to Washington on Tuesday with the hope of lowering the tariffs, had “a friendly and open exchange” with  the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Though Keller-Sutter expressed optimism after their meeting, nothing concrete or favourable for Switzerland  has come out of it so far.

 

According to Swiss media, “The question of whether the Swiss delegation’s attempt to obtain a reduction in customs duties therefore remains open.”  

READ ALSO: Swiss face tough task to strike deal with Trump

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Common graves for humans and animals raise concerns

Bern municipal authorities want to allow the joint burial of humans and their pets, but animal rights activists are against this practice.

“The principle is understandable, but there is a significant danger,” said Tobias Sennhauser, spokesperson for the “Tier im Fokus” association, which is active on animal welfare issues. ” 

Their reason for concern is that pet owners might be tempted to euthanise a healthy animal simply so they can be buried together.

To avoid this, the association proposes that city authorities include a clause in its regulations stating that any animal euthanised specifically for this reason should be excluded from joint burial.

To that end, people wishing to reserve a grave for themselves and their pet should be obligated to sign a declaration certifying that the animal was not killed for this purpose.

The organisation also wants to inform all Bernese veterinarians that this type of euthanasia is contrary to the ethics of the new regulations.

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Despite high costs, most Swiss want to maintain obligatory health insurance

 

Though health insurance costs are expected to increase by 4 percent in 2026 (after a 6-percent hike this year), and despite widespread complaints about the financial burden that this recurring annual expense places on households, the majority of Swiss want to maintain the current system.

 

This is the finding of a new survey carried out by the Comparis consumer platform.

However, the extent of support for the health insurance scheme depends on the region and age group.

French-speakers are most attached to the current system  — 73 percent — ahead of German-speakers (71 percent).

In terms of age, those between 40 and 49 are the most opposed to compulsory health insurance and 46 percent would be willing to do without it, compared to only 21 percent of seniors over 80.

‘Last minute’ deals are very popular with Swiss travellers this summer

Being super-organised, Swiss people like to plan everything in advance — including their vacations.

However, this summer, ‘spur-of-the-moment’ travel, especially to the Mediterranean regions, has been gaining favour with Swiss holidaymakers, according to a survey carried out by the Travelnews portal. 

At Hotelplan travel agency, for instance, last-minute bookings for certain destinations jumped by nearly 30 percent for July and August.

Seaside and city trips are particularly popular, especially to Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Tunisia, Cyprus, and Egypt.

“Some departures take place within three days,” of booking, said Stephan Kurmann, a spokesperson for Dertour tour operator.

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

 

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