Faulty SBB app overcharges commuters; Switzerland is named a global leader in digital competitiveness; and more news in our roundup this Tuesday.
The SBB app is making commuters pay too much
Due to a flaw with the SBB app, many travellers with a regional travelcard are penalised when they buy a ticket outside their zone.
As revealed by Swiss media on Monday, “passengers with a regional travelcard are being overcharged when they purchase a ticket through the app that extends beyond their travelcard’s validity zone.”
In theory, the portion of the journey already covered by the regional travelcard should be deducted from the total price.
However, the app “doesn’t always recognise the ticket registered in the customer’s account when the journey crosses the regional network boundary. As a result, passengers are charged the full price of the journey, including the portion already paid for.”
The SBB said it is working to fix this problem.
Switzerland is a global leader in digital competitiveness
The country is ranked in the first place in the annual World Digital Competitiveness Ranking published by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) on Tuesday.
Switzerland scored particularly well with its recent approval of the electronic ID in a referendum, along with its “agility and the ability to attract international talent.”
These results come just days after another international study named Switzerland as the world’s most competitive nation overall.
READ ALSO: Why Switzerland is (still) the world’s most competitive nation
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Switzerland and Austria are fighting over cheese
Switzerland plans to trademark the name “Emmentaler” for its cheese produced in the Emmental valley of canton Bern.
However, Austrian cheesemakers are opposing this move, arguing that the term “Emmentaler” has long been in common use and should not be Switzerland’s exclusive right.
They also point out that Austria produces approximately 14,000 tons of Emmentaler annually – primarily in the Vorarlberg region.
The European Commission has sided with Austria (as well as other EU countries claiming this cheese as their own), prompting Switzerland to appeal to the European Court of Justice.
This is not the first time that Emmentaler is at the centre of a legal battle:
READ ALSO: Swiss court to rule whether holes in Emmental cheese are too small
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Swiss economists see ‘slight improvement’ in the employment outlook
According to KOF Economic Institute, “the downward trend in employment outlook comes to a halt despite tariff shock.”
This means that despite 39-percent US customs duties imposed on Swiss imports, the fiorecast is “trending low but in positive territory,” KOF said in a press release on Monday.
However, the recovery in the labour market “remains subdued and is being driven mainly by the construction and service sectors.”
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
