News

Published weekly, the articles in this section provide information for SMEs on the following topics:

The latest economic developments
New studies related to SMEs in Switzerland
Useful news for companies

The most recent articles are also posted on the SME Portal homepage.

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Results 1 - 12 of 64

Job risk in the industrial sector

(20.09.2023) The economic outlook remains bleak for Swiss industrial companies. Raiffeisen Bank's PMI SME index remained stagnant at 46.3 in August, staying below the expansion threshold and causing experts to worry about employment trends.

Record number of foreign acquisitions by Swiss SMEs

(13.09.2023) While the number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) involving Swiss SMEs decreased between January and June 2023, a record was set for acquisitions by Swiss companies abroad, according to the auditing and consulting firm Deloitte.

Economic conditions on the upswing

(06.09.2023) The Swiss economy is rebounding slightly but remains sluggish. The Swiss Economic Institute's (KOF) barometer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) stands at 92.2 points (+1.5 points compared to June) and therefore remains below the long-term average.

Recent Study Shows: eBill Increasingly Popular

(17.08.2023) According to a recent study, digital eBill invoice is becoming increasingly popular in Switzerland. All this is due to the fact that more and more people know about eBill, use it and are convinced of its benefits.

Asia accounts for half of watch exports

(16.08.2023) Swiss watchmaking continues to increase its foreign sales. According to the Swiss Watch Federation, the industry exported goods worth 13.3 billion francs between January and June 2023, a rise of 11.8% compared to the same period one year earlier.

Transformation works enhance construction efforts

(09.08.2023) In nominal figures, investments in construction increased by 1.8% in 2022. According to the provisional results from the Federal Statistical Office (OFS), expenses in building construction rose by 2.3% and declined by 0.1% in civil engineering.

A person pays their QR invoices using a smartphone, computer, and calculator.

Late payment delays weigh heavily on economy

(02.08.2023) Late payment delays constitute a significant obstacle to the smooth operation of Swiss businesses. Nearly a quarter of them (24%) report that uncertainties related to this issue disrupt their growth strategy, according to the European Payment Report by the debt collection agency Intrum.

EY audit firm investments financing Swiss start-ups first half 2023.

Nearly 2 billion for startups in first semester

(02.08.2023) Investment in start-up enterprises remained robust during the first semester of 2023. According to the audit firm EY, Swiss startups managed to raise CHF 1.92 billion in the initial six months of the year – an increase of 4.16% compared to the previous semester.

Technological experts working in a laboratory

Decline in the importance of machinery exports

(26.07.2023) The total value of products exported by the MEM industry has seen relatively little growth in the last 25 years. While the sector accounted for 46.4% of Switzerland's total exports in 1998, it has decreased to only 26% in 2022, according to the Federal Statistical Office (OFS).

Swiss banknotes, a pair of glasses, and a pen

Decline in real wages in OECD countries

(26.07.2023) Despite unemployment remaining relatively low, inflation is eroding purchasing power in OECD member economies. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, real wages have decreased by an average of 3.8% between the first quarters of 2022 and 2023.

Several people sitting in a row in a professional setting.

Labour market stabilizes

(19.07.2023) The strength of the Swiss labor market appears to be declining since the beginning of the year. The Swiss Job Market Index, published quarterly by Adecco and the University of Zurich, indicates that in the second quarter of 2023, employment recorded zero growth rate for the second consecutive time.

Two women in front of a window with post-it notes.

Entrepreneurship: Switzerland lags behind

(19.07.2023) In Switzerland, only 38.3% of employed individuals consider starting a business as a good career choice, compared to an average of 65.1% in comparable economies, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2022/2023 report.

Results 1 - 12 of 64

Results 1 - 12 of 108

View of the Quai des Bergues in Geneva, with its hotels and flags.

Swiss hotel industry: highly encouraging upturn in visitor numbers

(22.06.2022) The hotel sector experienced a sharp rebound during the winter of 2021/2022. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the industry recorded 14.6 million overnight stays. This represents a 54% increase in demand in all tourist regions compared with the previous year.

Slight decline in office real estate supply

(28.12.2022) The increase in employment since the end of the health crisis is boosting demand for office space. According to Credit Suisse's "Swiss Office Property Market 2023" study, however, supply is not shrinking as sharply as in previous economic upturns due to the trend for remote working.

Business situation gloomy

(28.12.2022) Swiss companies are facing a mixed year-end outlook. The KOF Business Situation Indicator, based on approximately 4,500 company reports, stood at 20.2 in November, down 7.7 points from October.

A person at the Lindenhof in the old town of Zurich.

Hotels: foreign travelers make a strong comeback

(21.12.2022) The hotel industry posted encouraging results in summer 2022. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 22.4 million overnight stays were recorded in Swiss accommodations between May and October 2022, an increase of 21.9% compared to summer 2021.

A woman in a supermarket with a long receipt.

Growth forecasts revised downwards for 2023

(21.12.2022) With rising energy prices and sluggish foreign demand, the Swiss economy is experiencing a slight slowdown. According to the latest report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), growth in real terms is expected to reach 0.6% in 2023.

Construction: rising costs put pressure on margins

(14.12.2022) Construction continues to be stable in 2022. According to the Swiss Contractors' Association (SCA), industry sales reached CHF 6.2 billion in the third quarter. However, rising costs for materials and personnel are causing profit margins to fall.

Multinationals omnipresent in Switzerland

(14.12.2022) Almost a quarter of the country's workforce works for a multinational company. In 2021, more than 35,000 companies with a total of nearly 1.5 million jobs and sales of close to CHF 2,000 billion belonged to a multinational group, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Economiesuisse Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade Mutual Recognition Agreement MRA Switzerland United Kingdom simplified conformity assessment procedure approval

New bilateral agreement with the UK

(07.12.2022) A new bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom will be effective as of January 1, 2023. Different product categories will benefit from a simplified conformity assessment procedure.

SwissMEM MEM industries machinery electrical equipment metals third quarter 2022 exports decline in orders

Slowdown in the machinery industry

(07.12.2022) Concern is growing in the mechanical and electrical engineering industries (MEM) sector. According to the Swissmem trade association, orders fell by 12.4% in the third quarter. In comparison with the second quarter of 2022, incoming orders from abroad have declined by as much as 21.1%.

Non-standard employment affects younger generations most

(30.11.2022) Non-standard forms of employment have persisted in the Swiss labor market since 2020. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO, they account for 10% of employees. The rate is slightly higher among 15 to 24-year-olds and in certain elementary occupations.

Various pictograms with a CO2 symbol in the center.

Companies remain relatively inactive in terms of ecological change

(30.11.2022) Various factors are holding back companies from making ecological changes. According to the ERM Report 2022 published by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (HSLU), 65% of the companies surveyed see costs as a major obstacle to reducing their environmental impact.

Automotive sector anticipates 2023 recovery

(23.11.2022) The automotive sector is expecting a slight improvement in the economy. According to forecasts by the BAK Institute and the Swiss Automobile Association (SAVV), the number of new vehicles on the road in 2023 will increase by 13.6% compared with 2022.

Results 1 - 12 of 108

Switch to the QR-bill Picks Up Speed

(28.12.2021) The latest survey results from gfs.bern concerning the discontinuation of payment slips show: The switch of companies to the QR-bill picks up speed. Already today, around two thirds of all Swiss companies are planning to complete the switch on time.

Replacement of payment slips – majority of companies have recognized the need for action

(28.07.2021) The latest study by gfs.bern on the replacement of the current payment slips shows that the majority of companies recognize the need for action. After 30 September 2022, payments will no longer be possible in Switzerland using the red and orange payment slips. By this date at the latest, all Swiss companies must be able to issue QR-bills.

A person scans a QR code on his smartphone.

Discontinuation of Payment Slips: Switch to QR-bill or eBill Now

(24.02.2021) PostFinance has set the end date for the current red (IS) and orange (ISR) payment slips as 30 September 2022. It is thereby supporting the digitalization of payment transactions and the corresponding follow-up products QR-bill and eBill. The red and orange payment slips will thus be definitively replaced for all Swiss bank customers. Companies are now required to switch if they have not done so already.

In an office, four employees discuss the business situation in front of a PC.

Companies benefit from EasyGov and SME Portal

(20.11.2018) SME Portal and EasyGov.swiss together generate annual benefits of around CHF 47 million for Swiss companies. According to a SECO study published on 20 November 2018, both of these platforms are highly appreciated by users in the economy. SME Portal alone has over 37,000 users per month.

information Swiss Small and Medium-size Entreprises, SME portal, Secretariat of State for Economic affairs SECO English setting up your own business as foreigner, Swiss platform

The SME Portal is available in English

(12.09.2018) Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, the SME Portal is now available in English. Launched on September 11 by the Secretariat of State for Economic Affairs (SECO), this new version of the site makes thousands of practical and useful information available to English-speaking leaders.

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