Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Gay couples must wait nearly a year to marry
With 64.1 percent of Swiss voters in favour of legalising same-sex marriages, gay couples will be allowed to wed, but only from July 1st, 2022, according to Karin Keller-Sutter, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
It will take that long to implement the new law.
The announcement was made after the government’s plan to introduce same-sex marriage was overwhelmingly accepted in a referendum on Sunday, with campaigners calling it a historic day for gay rights in Switzerland.
Abstimmung vom 26.9.2021: Bundesrätin Karin Keller-Sutter zur Änderung des Schweizerischen Zivilgesetzbuches #EhefürAlle. @EJPD_DFJP_DFGP #chvote #abst21 (BK) pic.twitter.com/59Njft7SA6
— André Simonazzi (@BR_Sprecher) September 26, 2021
READ MORE: UPDATE: Swiss voters say big ‘yes’ to same-sex marriage
Updated list of high-risk countries
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has updated its list of high-risk countries in alignment with the other Schengen states.
Due to recent epidemiological developments, entry restrictions for Uruguay will be lifted while new entry restrictions will be introduced for Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Japan and Serbia. The changes will come into effect at midnight on September 27th.
Health insurance premiums to go up
Tomorrow the residents of Switzerland will be informed about the amount of their health insurance premiums for 2022.
Santésuisse, one of the umbrella organisations managing the health funds, justifies this increase by the resumption of medical treatments this year, after a slump in 2020, when outpatient procedures had been suspended.
"We observed a strong recovery in the first half of 2021, with an increase in costs of 3.25 percent per person", according to Christophe Kaempf, Santésuisse’s spokesperson.
However, Simon Zurich, vice-president of the Federation of Patients, said insurance companies have sufficient money reserves and should not be raising premiums.
"We are very disappointed to note that, despite a decline in medical activity in 2020, increasing premiums continue “to feed excessive reserves of health insurers", he noted.
Foreign parcels will soon be subject to VAT
The Federal Council has adapted new Value Added Tax (VAT) rules, which will impact Swiss customers who buy goods from online sales platforms abroad.
Until now, merchandise valued at less than 65 francs was exempt from VAT, but now 7.7 percent will be added to all goods shipped from foreign countries.
Also, better control systems will be implemented to check compliance with the new rules. Anyone found not adhering to the regulation can be subject to import ban and confiscation of the merchandise.
Politicians are forcing the government to keep free Covid tests
In view of the Federal Council’s decision to start charging unvaccinated people for tests on October 10th — having extended the original deadline of October 1st—political parties are trying to keep free screening beyond that date.
An unlikely coalition of parties from both left and right, including Christian Democrats, the Greens, and Swiss People’s Party, is creating a parliamentary initiative in that regard.
"We want the tests to remain free, but only for as long as the certificate requirement remains extended," said socialist MP Flavia Wasserfallen
Should unvaccinated people in quarantine have their wages withheld?
Several Swiss MPs are in favour of this measure.
Deputy Beat Walti, said unvaccinated individuals must be responsible for their choices, and this burden should not be passed on to the entire community.
Lukas Schmid, from the think-tank Avenir Suisse, pointed out that this measure should be implemented only in extreme cases — for example, if an unvaccinated employee has to quarantine when returning from vacation.
A similar rule will go into effect in Germany on November 1st.
READ MORE: What are unvaccinated people in Switzerland still allowed to do?
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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Gay couples must wait nearly a year to marry
With 64.1 percent of Swiss voters in favour of legalising same-sex marriages, gay couples will be allowed to wed, but only from July 1st, 2022, according to Karin Keller-Sutter, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police.
It will take that long to implement the new law.
The announcement was made after the government’s plan to introduce same-sex marriage was overwhelmingly accepted in a referendum on Sunday, with campaigners calling it a historic day for gay rights in Switzerland.
Abstimmung vom 26.9.2021: Bundesrätin Karin Keller-Sutter zur Änderung des Schweizerischen Zivilgesetzbuches #EhefürAlle. @EJPD_DFJP_DFGP #chvote #abst21 (BK) pic.twitter.com/59Njft7SA6
— André Simonazzi (@BR_Sprecher) September 26, 2021
READ MORE: UPDATE: Swiss voters say big ‘yes’ to same-sex marriage
Updated list of high-risk countries
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has updated its list of high-risk countries in alignment with the other Schengen states.
Due to recent epidemiological developments, entry restrictions for Uruguay will be lifted while new entry restrictions will be introduced for Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Japan and Serbia. The changes will come into effect at midnight on September 27th.
Health insurance premiums to go up
Tomorrow the residents of Switzerland will be informed about the amount of their health insurance premiums for 2022.
Santésuisse, one of the umbrella organisations managing the health funds, justifies this increase by the resumption of medical treatments this year, after a slump in 2020, when outpatient procedures had been suspended.
"We observed a strong recovery in the first half of 2021, with an increase in costs of 3.25 percent per person", according to Christophe Kaempf, Santésuisse’s spokesperson.
However, Simon Zurich, vice-president of the Federation of Patients, said insurance companies have sufficient money reserves and should not be raising premiums.
"We are very disappointed to note that, despite a decline in medical activity in 2020, increasing premiums continue “to feed excessive reserves of health insurers", he noted.
Foreign parcels will soon be subject to VAT
The Federal Council has adapted new Value Added Tax (VAT) rules, which will impact Swiss customers who buy goods from online sales platforms abroad.
Until now, merchandise valued at less than 65 francs was exempt from VAT, but now 7.7 percent will be added to all goods shipped from foreign countries.
Also, better control systems will be implemented to check compliance with the new rules. Anyone found not adhering to the regulation can be subject to import ban and confiscation of the merchandise.
Politicians are forcing the government to keep free Covid tests
In view of the Federal Council’s decision to start charging unvaccinated people for tests on October 10th — having extended the original deadline of October 1st—political parties are trying to keep free screening beyond that date.
An unlikely coalition of parties from both left and right, including Christian Democrats, the Greens, and Swiss People’s Party, is creating a parliamentary initiative in that regard.
"We want the tests to remain free, but only for as long as the certificate requirement remains extended," said socialist MP Flavia Wasserfallen
Should unvaccinated people in quarantine have their wages withheld?
Several Swiss MPs are in favour of this measure.
Deputy Beat Walti, said unvaccinated individuals must be responsible for their choices, and this burden should not be passed on to the entire community.
Lukas Schmid, from the think-tank Avenir Suisse, pointed out that this measure should be implemented only in extreme cases — for example, if an unvaccinated employee has to quarantine when returning from vacation.
A similar rule will go into effect in Germany on November 1st.
READ MORE: What are unvaccinated people in Switzerland still allowed to do?
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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