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Today in Switzerland For Members

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Helena Bachmann
Helena Bachmann - [email protected]
Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Swiss team celebrates its victory against France. MARKO DJURICA / POOL / AFP

Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.

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Switzerland celebrates its “heroic” EURO win 

The mood across the country is jubilant after the Swiss team beat the reigning world champions, France, in what was admittedly a surprising 5-4 win on Monday night. 

 “It’s amazing. We made history tonight and we are all very proud”, team captain Granit Xhaka said.

Before Switzerland faces Spain in quarter-finals on Friday, the country is celebrating its team’s spectacular victory, and emotions are running high.

 “Heroic Switzerland beats world champions”, a headline in Tribune de Genève  reads, while Tages-Enzeiger describes the victory as “absolute ecstasy”.

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 EU hasn’t approved Swiss Covid certificate yet

Time is running out for the European-wide recognition of the Swiss Covid certificate.

While the approval process is on the right track, it doesn’t look likely that it will be completed by the July 1st deadline.

"We have had several productive meetings with the Swiss authorities”, the European Commission (EC) said. This means that Bern has fulfilled the technical and legal requirements for the EU to give the green light.

"We hope to be able to take a decision at the beginning of July", the EC noted.

READ MORE: How to get Switzerland’s Covid-19 health pass

SWISS airline unveils its new Premium Economy Class seat

Air travel will become more comfortable from the fall, as the flagship carrier is getting ready to launch its new premium class seats on the long-haul fleet of the Boeing 777-300ER.

The Premium Economy will have wider seats, greater spacing and greater angle of inclination of the backrests.

The ticket per route is expected to cost around 250 francs more than economy class fare.

"The desire for comfort and well-being has increased during the pandemic. Premium Economy Class closes a gap in demand", said Tamur Goudarzi Pour, SWISS’ Chief Commercial Officer.

Seats in this class can already be booked for travel starting in the fall.

READ MORE: Airlines add dozens of new destinations from Switzerland in time for summer

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Not everyone is required to give up home working

Since June 26th, working from home is no longer compulsory in Switzerland.

While most workers are heading back to the office, some employees are exempted from this obligation and can continue to telework.

They include pregnant women and people suffering from cardiovascular problems, according to Luca Cirigliano from the Swiss Confederation of Trade Unions.

READ MORE: ‘Home office’: Will the pandemic change the way Switzerland works?

Old-age insurance: the initiative for a 13th pension will be voted on

Supporters of the popular initiative "Better living in retirement",  which include the Swiss Trade Union and pensioners' organisations, collected 102,813 signatures to launch the national vote — more than the 100,000 required by law.

The proposal calls for the payment of an additional retirement pension of the same amount as the AHV /AVS payment received each month. This corresponds to a monthly increase in pensions of 8.33 percent.

No date for the vote has been set yet.

 

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local please get in touch with us at [email protected]

 

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