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 In a recent EU Council meeting, Member States called for the EU-Switzerland relationship to be updated to face modern threats and challenges, arguing the current framework risks "economic and political instability" in a changing world. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260617/switzerlands-relationship-with-eu-needs-an-overhaul-says-european-council Wed, 17 Jun 2026 13:28:01 +0200 switzerlands-relationship-with-eu-needs-an-overhaul-says-european-council A total of 154 airlines are banned in the European Union due to safety concerns, after the 2026 update of the ‘EU air safety list’ announced by the European Commission this week. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260612/which-airlines-are-banned-in-the-european-union-and-why Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:20:05 +0200 which-airlines-are-banned-in-the-european-union-and-why Only three countries have passed into national legislation new EU pay transparency rules by the June 7th deadline, MEPs and trade unions have denounced. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260610/only-3-countries-met-deadline-for-new-eu-pay-transparency-rules Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:12:09 +0200 only-3-countries-met-deadline-for-new-eu-pay-transparency-rules The European Commission on Tuesday asked nine countries in the Schengen area, including France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Italy, Denmark and Norway to phase out internal border checks, which have been reinstated in some cases for years. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260602/eu-calls-on-nine-european-countries-to-scrap-internal-schengen-border-checks Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:10:21 +0200 eu-calls-on-nine-european-countries-to-scrap-internal-schengen-border-checks So far, mosty Swiss opponents have spoken out against the far-right’s ‘No to 10 million’ initiative. But as the June 14th referendum date is getting closer, criticism is coming from abroad as well. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260529/a-covert-attack-eu-lawmakers-slam-swiss-anti-immigration-vote Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:42 +0200 a-covert-attack-eu-lawmakers-slam-swiss-anti-immigration-vote In the first six months of operation of the new EU digital border system, the Entry-Exit System (EES), almost 7,000 travellers were denied entry into Europe's border-free Schengen area because they stayed beyond their permitted time limit, a European Commission report has revealed. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260520/ees-7000-overstayers-snared-since-launch-of-eus-new-schengen-border-checks Wed, 20 May 2026 14:37:30 +0200 ees-7000-overstayers-snared-since-launch-of-eus-new-schengen-border-checks The number of people refused entry to the EU and Schengen area has risen dramatically, according to new statistics, while thousands of US, UK and Indian nationals have been found to be illegally present in EU/Schengen countries. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260518/trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise Mon, 18 May 2026 15:58:26 +0200 trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise The Swiss government and many economists believe the new package of agreements between Bern and Brussels – the so called ‘Bilaterals III’ - is crucial to Switzerland’s prosperity. But one expert thinks otherwise. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260515/interview-eu-is-not-essential-for-switzerlands-success Fri, 15 May 2026 16:40:45 +0200 interview-eu-is-not-essential-for-switzerlands-success After standardising chargers for mobile phones, from Tuesday new computers sold in EU countries must also use the USB-C charging point, as the latest phase of EU anti-waste legislation comes into force. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260428/eu-anti-waste-law-new-laptops-sold-in-europe-must-now-use-usb-c-chargers Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:16:33 +0200 eu-anti-waste-law-new-laptops-sold-in-europe-must-now-use-usb-c-chargers In the coming weeks, debates on the new batch of Swiss-EU agreements will begin in the parliamentary committees. So what are the key points of the discussions? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260415/swiss-lawmakers-set-to-rule-on-controversial-points-of-eu-deal Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:28:38 +0200 swiss-lawmakers-set-to-rule-on-controversial-points-of-eu-deal A new EU directive on pay transparency, which aims to ensure equality between men and women doing the same job, could transform the European job market by guaranteeing more rights to workers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260414/how-the-european-job-market-will-change-with-new-pay-transparency-rules Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:37:53 +0200 how-the-european-job-market-will-change-with-new-pay-transparency-rules European leaders reacted on Monday to the defeat of Viktor Orban, who lost Sunday's parliamentary elections in Hungary. Many hailed the result as a victory for democracy and for Europe. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260413/historic-moment-european-leaders-react-to-orbans-defeat-in-hungary Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:48:46 +0200 historic-moment-european-leaders-react-to-orbans-defeat-in-hungary A landmark agreement has been reached by the European Parliament and Council on the reform of EU rules around customs that include new measures to tackle e-commerce from non-EU countries. What will it mean for consumers? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260402/shein-temu-why-european-consumers-will-pay-more-for-cheap-online-orders Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:38:55 +0200 shein-temu-why-european-consumers-will-pay-more-for-cheap-online-orders On March 2nd, Bern and Brussels signed a package of agreements intended to ‘deepen and harmonise' ties between the two sides. But right-wingers are sounding the alarm about the potentially disastrous consequences for Switzerland if the treaties are ratified. Do their warnings have any merit? https://www.thelocal.ch/20260318/vastly-exaggerated-would-the-new-eu-treaty-really-harm-switzerland Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:10:47 +0100 vastly-exaggerated-would-the-new-eu-treaty-really-harm-switzerland As part of the landmark trade agreement announced on January 27th, the EU and India adopted a ‘mobility framework’ that aims to make it easier for Indian students, researchers and young professionals to move to the EU. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260207/what-the-mobility-deal-between-the-eu-and-india-will-mean-for-skilled-workers Sat, 07 Feb 2026 09:19:01 +0100 what-the-mobility-deal-between-the-eu-and-india-will-mean-for-skilled-workers Among the arguments the rightwing Swiss People's Party (SVP) uses to justify its anti-immigration stance is that foreigners remain in Switzerland indefinitely. But an expert - and official statistics - say this is not the case. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260113/why-half-of-european-immigrants-dont-stay-more-than-five-years-in-switzerland Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:55:55 +0100 why-half-of-european-immigrants-dont-stay-more-than-five-years-in-switzerland Thanks to an extension of the free movement of persons agreement between Bern and Brussels, more than half a million EU nationals could get a C permit after five years of residence – with no strings attached. One Swiss economist is highly critical of the move. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251127/swiss-economist-warns-of-impact-if-690000-eu-nationals-claim-residency Thu, 27 Nov 2025 19:10:47 +0100 swiss-economist-warns-of-impact-if-690000-eu-nationals-claim-residency The launch of the ‘EU Talent Pool’ has moved a step closer. It will be the first digital platform that will match vacancies in shortage occupations in EU countries with non-EU jobseekers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251122/explained-what-the-approval-of-the-eu-talent-pool-means-in-practice Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:02 +0100 explained-what-the-approval-of-the-eu-talent-pool-means-in-practice Citizens across the European Union will be turning their clocks back an hour this Sunday, but Brussels believes the time has come for the 27-nation bloc to stop the practice once and for all. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251023/why-europes-changing-of-the-clocks-no-longer-makes-sense Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:24:27 +0200 why-europes-changing-of-the-clocks-no-longer-makes-sense The European Commission is preparing a new visa strategy to attract "top talent from abroad that is needed to fill skills and labour shortages in the EU and drive research and innovation." https://www.thelocal.ch/20250902/europe-to-draw-up-new-visa-strategy-to-bring-in-skilled-non-eu-workers Tue, 02 Sep 2025 19:38:34 +0200 europe-to-draw-up-new-visa-strategy-to-bring-in-skilled-non-eu-workers