BERN, SWITZERLAND – Two major Swiss organizations, humanitarian agency Swissaid and the non-profit group Bern Declaration, called Wednesday morning 4 April for “urgent political action” to be taken in light of the “No patents on seeds” report, made public today. The report indicates that despite a European Patent Office (EPO) decision at the highest level […]
Politics
Swiss wines to get marketing boost from oenologists’ head
Daniel Dufaux has just been named president of the Geneva-based Swiss Oenologists Union. His election is the latest sign that the Swiss are getting more serious about marketing their wines. Swiss wines traditionally sold locally and didn’t worry too much about selling further afield, with limited supplies and a loyal home market. The new implementation […]
Alcohol, tobacco sales age raised to 18 in France, Internet alcohol ads allowed
Paris, France (GenevaLunch) – The French government has approved raising the age for sales of alcohol and tobacco from 16 to 18 as part of a package of health measures. New regulations will ironically allow, for the first time, advertising for alcoholic beverages on the Internet, as a result of negotiations with the wine industry.
150 years of Swiss trains linking Geneva, Lausanne
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (Le Temps, Fre) – A third rail line to ease traffic between Lausanne and Geneva was on all minds during festivities Wednesday to celebrate 150 years of rail service between the two cities. Politicians and CFF rail company officials visited a 1947 locomotive and enjoyed a ride in rail cars dating […]
Switzerland approves visa information sharing
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Swiss Federal Council Wednesday approved plans to share visa information with European Union countries, and vise versa, as part of anti-fraud measures. This is the latest in a series of Schengen Accord steps which the country is gradually taking. Switzerland has two years to put in place the technical programme […]