The impact of US trade tariffs on Swiss economy, and higher gun ownership rates — these are among the news that The Local reported this week. You can catch up on everything in this weekly roundup.
US tariffs will significantly affect Switzerland’s economy
While announcing a sweeping range of reciprocal tariffs on goods from abroad on April 2nd, US president Donald Trump said customs duties of 31 percent would be imposed on imports from Switzerland.
That number is higher than the 20-percent tariffs levied on the EU countries.
While the calculations behind the hefty customs duties remain unclear, they are meant to have a ‘punitive’ effect, aiming to force Swiss companies to curb their exports to the United States or to produce directly on American soil.
READ ALSO: What impact will Trump’s hefty tariffs have on Switzerland?
Increasing number of Swiss residents are buying guns
Official figures show that the number of firearm permits granted to individuals in Switzerland increased in 2024, with some cantons seeing higher rates of gun ownership than others.
The reasons for this spike include the sense of insecurity due to the continued war in Ukraine.
But Switzerland’s longstanding tradition of recreational target shooting is also a factor — especially since rules for sports shooting were relaxed to include more gun types than before.
READ ALSO: Why are more and more people in Switzerland buying guns?
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Swiss companies are being forced by the United States to give up their diversity policies
Swiss law prohibits any form of discrimination in the workplace, mandating an inclusive and equitable working environment for all employees.
However, Swiss companies that conduct business in the United States will soon receive a letter from the US Embassy in Bern, demanding that they abandon practices aiming to create more diverse and equitable working conditions.
This means that instead of complying with Switzerland’s law, Swiss employers will have to adhere to the (new) American one, or be faced with being banned from the US.
READ ALSO: US wants Swiss companies to abandon their diversity programs
A popular initiative calls for extended leave for new parents
Switzerland should introduce a total of 36 weeks of parental leave after the birth of a child — that is,18 weeks for each parent, according to a new popular initiative launched by a coalition of parties and women’s groups.
Under their proposal, the current statuary leave — 14 weeks for mothers and two for fathers — would be extended to a total of 36 weeks.
Each parent would be entitled to an 18-week leave, taken consecutively; only a maximum of four-and-a-half weeks could be taken simultaneously by both.
READ ALSO: The new plan for extended parental leave in Switzerland
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Switzerland is promoting solar energy panels with monetary compensation
From April 1st, 2025, the government, which has been long committed to expanding the use of renewable energies, is making it more economical (that is, cheaper) for all property owners who haven’t already done so to put up photovoltaic panels on the roofs of their houses.
The compensation will depend on the kind of panels used.
This measure aims to encourage the construction of photovoltaic installations on roofs and facades capable of producing “a significant amount of electricity” in winter, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).
READ ALSO: The new financial incentives for putting solar panels on your Swiss home
