The Local Switzerland

Federal finance minister announces resignation

Wed, 28 Oct 2015 20:48:42 +0100

Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf announced on Wednesday that she would quit after seven years in government, vacating a seat coveted by the populist right party that swept parliamentary polls earlier this month.

National ban sought for late-night booze shops

Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:09:00 +0100

Politicians in Bern want to shut down takeaway and convenience shops across the country that sell booze late at night.

Minister urges tax hikes for Italian frontaliers

Thu, 08 May 2014 01:02:00 +0200

Switzerland needs to change its agreement with Italy over the taxation of cross-border workers to make it less appealing for them to work in the canton of Ticino, Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf says.

US and Swiss attorney generals talk tax evasion

Sat, 03 May 2014 15:11:00 +0200

US Attorney General Eric Holder met with his counterpart from Switzerland on Friday as investigators crack down on Swiss banks that help US customers avoid paying taxes.

Luxembourg urges fight to guard banking centres

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:38:00 +0100

Financial centres such as London, Singapore and Switzerland should hit back after being on the receiving end of attacks over banking secrecy, Luxembourg's Finance Minister Luc Frieden says.

Swiss officials sidestep procurement law: report

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:40:00 +0200

The Swiss federal administration awarded 361 contracts last year without first putting the requests out to tender, a newspaper report says.

Teacher gave driver DVD before crash: survivor

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:01:00 +0100

A Swiss bus crash which killed 22 children and six adults may have been caused by a teacher who distracted the driver by handing him a DVD film to play, a newspaper said on Sunday.

Swiss crash driver not unwell: prosecutor

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:16:00 +0100

The driver of a coach that crashed in a Swiss alpine tunnel this week, killing 28 people, did not fall
ill and no alcohol was detected in his blood, a prosecutor said on Friday, giving the results of an autopsy.

British boy among Swiss bus crash victims

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:50:00 +0100

An 11-year-old boy of dual British and Belgian nationality was among the 22 children killed in a bus crash in Switzerland this week, British officials said on Friday.

First bus crash survivors back in Belgium

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:01:00 +0100

The first survivors of a bus crash that shocked Belgium returned to a national day of mourning Friday, after grieving parents laid flowers at the Swiss Alps tunnel site where 22 school children
died.

Driver 'wanted to play DVD' just before crash

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:28:00 +0100

The driver of a bus that crashed in Switzerland, killing 22 schoolchildren and six adults, had wanted to play a DVD just before the crash, Swiss and Belgian papers reported on Thursday.

Swiss press question safety of crash tunnel

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:27:00 +0100

The Swiss press on Thursday raised questions about the safety of the tunnel where a coach crashed and killed 22 school children and six adults from Belgium as they returned from a
skiing holiday.

Relatives identifying crash victims: police

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:04:00 +0100

Relatives of victims of the coach crash that killed 22 children and six adults in a Swiss alpine tunnel as they returned from a skiing holiday arrived at the morgue Thursday to identify the bodies.

Rescuers recount 'war scene' at bus crash site

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:59:00 +0100

Seasoned rescuers and good Samaritans spoke of their shock Wednesday after battling through a "war scene" to free survivors trapped in the mangled wreckage of a school coach that crashed in Switzerland.

Agony for parents after Swiss crash tragedy

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:35:00 +0100

Faces drawn and carrying overnight bags, parents arrived at dawn at a Belgian primary school, anxious to find out if their children were among the 28 killed in a Swiss coach crash.

Belgium declares day of mourning after crash

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:18:00 +0100

Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo on Wednesday declared a national day of mourning in Belgium following the horrific coach crash in Switzerland that killed 28 people, including 22 children.

Nine Dutch children were in coach crash: ministry

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:38:00 +0100

Nine Dutch children were in the coach crash in Switzerland that killed 28 passengers, 22 of them children, said a statement Wednesday from the Dutch foreign ministry.

Swiss president to visit coach crash site: official

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:17:00 +0100

Swiss President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf will on Wednesday visit the scene of the coach crash that killed 28 people including 22 children, a spokesman for her office said.

Swiss to go after domestic tax cheats

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:30:40 +0100

The Federal Council is seeking to put tax evasion on a par with tax fraud so that both offences become criminal in Switzerland.

Force banks to make tax checks: finance minister

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:05:00 +0100

Swiss banks could be forced to carry out checks on the tax status of foreign assets they hold under a new "clean money" strategy being proposed by the finance minister, it was reported on Sunday.