https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The European Commission has proposed creating new "dark red zones" which would be subject to tight travel restrictions whilst Europeans have been "strongly discouraged" from all but essential travel within the EU as Covid-19 infections rise. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210122/europeans-urged-not-to-travel-as-eu-agency-demands-tighter-measures Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:24:12 +0100 europeans-urged-not-to-travel-as-eu-agency-demands-tighter-measures The UK government has announced that it is introducing new rules stating that all arrivals into the country will need to present a negative Covid test. https://www.thelocal.ch/20210108/all-arrivals-into-the-uk-will-soon-need-a-negative-covid-test-government-announced Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:22:26 +0100 all-arrivals-into-the-uk-will-soon-need-a-negative-covid-test-government-announced Here's a reminder to Britons living around Europe of some of the rules they will have to abide by when travelling after January 1st 2021. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201209/brexit-reminder-what-brits-in-europe-need-to-know-about-travel-after-december-31st Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:36:05 +0100 brexit-reminder-what-brits-in-europe-need-to-know-about-travel-after-december-31st The UK government's decision to end freedom of movement does not just hit Brits in the UK, but also those living around the EU who may need or simply want to move to another EU country in future. Please tell us if you are affected. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201214/landlocked-in-the-eu-are-you-affected-by-loss-of-onward-freedom-of-movement Mon, 14 Dec 2020 15:49:03 +0100 landlocked-in-the-eu-are-you-affected-by-loss-of-onward-freedom-of-movement EU countries have finally agreed to reopen their external borders on July 1st to visitors from 15 countries but American tourists will still not be allowed to travel to Europe because the US is still considered a risk due to the high number of Covid-19 cases. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200629/eu-to-allow-visitors-from-14-safe-countries-but-not-the-us Mon, 29 Jun 2020 21:17:02 +0200 eu-to-allow-visitors-from-14-safe-countries-but-not-the-us The Federal Council announced last week that Switzerland, the EU, and the UK will re-open their borders to each other as of June 15th. But there are some things you should know before you go abroad. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200615/border-re-opening-swiss-governments-advice-on-travelling-abroad Mon, 15 Jun 2020 13:27:43 +0200 border-re-opening-swiss-governments-advice-on-travelling-abroad As travel restrictions within the Schengen zone countries were lifted on June 15th, shopping trips from Switzerland to neighbouring countries were again possible. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200612/from-next-week-switzerland-will-allow-shopping-sprees-abroad Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:45:53 +0200 from-next-week-switzerland-will-allow-shopping-sprees-abroad As European countries emerge from their coronavirus lockdowns and lift travel restrictions to revive their tourist industries, the EU has been aiming to coordinate the border reopening among its 27 members. But it hasn't quite worked out like that. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200615/open-borders-europes-haphazard-route-to-ending-travel-restrictions Mon, 15 Jun 2020 12:02:25 +0200 open-borders-europes-haphazard-route-to-ending-travel-restrictions The EU's external borders have been effectively closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic but the European Commission is set to announce a plan for a "progressive and partial" reopening of them from July 1st. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200610/eu-proposes-progressive-and-partial-reopening-of-borders-in-july Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:11:04 +0200 eu-proposes-progressive-and-partial-reopening-of-borders-in-july The Swiss government said Friday it will accelerate plans to open its borders, allowing people travelling from all European Union countries and Britain to enter from June 15th. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200605/switzerland-to-open-eu-borders-from-june-15th Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:07:15 +0200 switzerland-to-open-eu-borders-from-june-15th After weeks of separation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, couples and families living in Switzerland, Austria and Germany can now reunite with their loved ones. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200518/swiss-officials-cross-border-couples-can-now-reunite Mon, 18 May 2020 13:56:50 +0200 swiss-officials-cross-border-couples-can-now-reunite Switzerland and France have concluded an agreement concerning cross-border employees working from their home in France during to the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200515/switzerland-and-france-conclude-tax-deal-on-cross-border-workers Fri, 15 May 2020 13:59:23 +0200 switzerland-and-france-conclude-tax-deal-on-cross-border-workers As part of the second phase of the partial easing of the Covid-19 restrictions, 15 Swiss border crossings with Italy, France and Austria reopened on Monday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200511/fifteen-border-crossings-re-open-in-switzerland-on-monday Mon, 11 May 2020 13:30:53 +0200 fifteen-border-crossings-re-open-in-switzerland-on-monday As of May 4th, three posts between Italy and Ticino that have been shut down since mid-March are operational again. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200504/three-border-crossings-between-switzerland-and-italy-re-open Mon, 04 May 2020 14:11:45 +0200 three-border-crossings-between-switzerland-and-italy-re-open As of midnight on Wednesday March 18the, the Swiss federal government closed more border crossings with Italy in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200319/five-more-border-crossings-are-closed-between-ticino-and-italy Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:02:19 +0100 five-more-border-crossings-are-closed-between-ticino-and-italy The European Union will impose an entry ban on travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days to battle the spread of the coronavirus, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200317/eu-imposes-entry-ban-for-30-days-in-bid-to-slow-coronavirus-pandemic Tue, 17 Mar 2020 21:43:30 +0100 eu-imposes-entry-ban-for-30-days-in-bid-to-slow-coronavirus-pandemic Germany on Monday introduced border controls with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland in a bid to stem the coronavirus outbreak. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200315/germany-to-close-its-borders Sun, 15 Mar 2020 16:43:43 +0100 germany-to-close-its-borders Border forces in Switzerland will get reinforcements for the summer months, according to a police statement on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170629/swiss-border-police-to-get-reinforcements-for-busy-summer-months Thu, 29 Jun 2017 15:58:17 +0200 swiss-border-police-to-get-reinforcements-for-busy-summer-months Switzerland has said it is ready to mobilize up to 2,000 soldiers at border crossings should migrants continue to arrive into the country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160421/swiss-army-ready-to-act-in-worst-case-migrant-scenario Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:26:56 +0200 swiss-army-ready-to-act-in-worst-case-migrant-scenario The number of illegal weapons confiscated by Swiss customs officers has doubled in the past five years. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160420/tasers-and-ninja-weapons-seized-by-swiss-customs Wed, 20 Apr 2016 15:16:07 +0200 tasers-and-ninja-weapons-seized-by-swiss-customs