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 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 Associations representing airlines and the European tourism industry have spoken out against the EU Commission's proposal to increase the fee for the ETIAS travel authorisation scheme from the original €7 fee to €20. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250724/disproportionate-european-tourism-chiefs-blast-etias-fee-hike Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:22:35 +0200 disproportionate-european-tourism-chiefs-blast-etias-fee-hike Switzerland announced Wednesday it was interested in striking a security and defence partnership with the European Union, insisting such a tie-up would not violate the country's cherished military neutrality. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250625/switzerland-wants-security-deal-with-eu-to-help-strengthen-defence Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:27:59 +0200 switzerland-wants-security-deal-with-eu-to-help-strengthen-defence European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to ban airlines from charging passengers for small carry-on luggage in a move strongly opposed by the aviation sector. MEPs also backed several other changes in a boost for passenger rights. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250624/eu-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-airlines-from-charging-fees-for-hand-luggage Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:59:22 +0200 eu-lawmakers-vote-to-ban-airlines-from-charging-fees-for-hand-luggage If the British had had a Swiss-like "safeguard clause" with the EU to put a brake on immigration there would have been no Brexit, Switzerland's justice minister has claimed. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250616/swiss-minister-hails-eu-deal-if-the-british-had-this-thered-have-been-no-brexit Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:34:36 +0200 swiss-minister-hails-eu-deal-if-the-british-had-this-thered-have-been-no-brexit The borderless Schengen area guarantees free movement to tens of millions of EU citizens, residents and visitors. To mark its 40th anniversary Claudia Delpero explains how it all started and the problems it faces. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250613/schengen-hits-40-what-problems-lie-ahead-for-europes-border-free-zone Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:39:44 +0200 schengen-hits-40-what-problems-lie-ahead-for-europes-border-free-zone Airline passengers across Europe may face decreased compensation rights for delayed and cancelled flights, after the EU Council controversially agreed to raise thresholds for airline compensation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250606/passenger-compensation-for-flight-delays-set-to-decrease-in-europe Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:23:39 +0200 passenger-compensation-for-flight-delays-set-to-decrease-in-europe The so-called ‘safeguard clause' has been a bone of contention between Switzerland and the European Union during the negotiations between the two parties which concluded in December 2024. Now Bern is setting new rules. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250515/how-switzerland-wants-to-restrict-immigration-from-the-eu-under-new-deal Thu, 15 May 2025 13:13:01 +0200 how-switzerland-wants-to-restrict-immigration-from-the-eu-under-new-deal From allowing Britons travelling to Europe to use e-gates at passport control, and an agreement to allow pets to travel more easily, plus a promise to rejoin Erasmus, the new EU-UK deal had many elements that will affect both Britons and Europeans. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250519/from-egates-to-erasmus-what-was-agreed-in-new-post-brexit-eu-uk-deal Mon, 19 May 2025 17:35:52 +0200 from-egates-to-erasmus-what-was-agreed-in-new-post-brexit-eu-uk-deal