Six big news stories from Switzerland you need to catch up on this week

Glacier collapse wreaks havoc in a Valais community

On May 28th, the Birch glacier collapsed, sending tonnes of rock, ice and scree hurtling down the mountain slope and into the valley below.

The barrage largely destroyed the village of Blatten, the highest in the valley, which had been home to 300 people and was evacuated last week due to the impending danger.

Authorities are now monitoring for a possible flood risk .

That’s because debris from the glacier have accumulated in the Lonza River, creating a small lake that is getting bigger and bigger, and could overflow if not contained.

READ ALSO: What we know about the massive glacier collapse in Switzerland 

New food labels will tell consumer if animal suffering was involved

From July 1st, 2025, imported foods sold in Swiss stores or served in restaurants will have to be labeled accordingly if animals suffered in the production process.

When purchasing animal-based foods such as meat, milk, or eggs, consumers will have additional information on the production methods. 

This will allow them to know whether these foods were produced using painful practices — that is, without the animals being anaesthetised — the government said.

The law will apply to imported products.

“While this production method has been banned for over 40 years in Switzerland, it remains permitted abroad,” the government pointed out.

READ ALSO: Switzerland to label foods to show if animals suffered pain

 

Which foreign workers does the job reporting requirement impact most?

Swiss law stipulates that employers who want to hire foreign nationals for occupations with a job vacancy rate of at least 5 percent have to first report these jobs to the local employment offices, so unemployed people in a given region could get a five-day ‘head start’ to apply for these position.

Workers from the EU and EFTA states are treated on an equal footing with their Swiss counterparts in terms of this rule;  however, it affects foreign nationals from third countries most of all, as it further limits their access to Switzerland’s labour market.

 

READ ALSO: How foreigners are affected by Switzerland’s law for reporting job vacancies 

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Issues on Switzerland’s political agenda in the coming weeks

The parliament begins its summer session on June 2nd, with deputies tackling some as yet-unresolved issues.

Among the matters to be debated are the move to have the collective labour agreements override minimum wages in some cantons; the taxation of married couples separately rather than jointly; introduction of national parental leave; and ban on the use of extremist symbols.

Deputies will also discuss criminalising stalking.

READ ALSO: The big political issues at stake in Switzerland next month 

Foreign countries would like to take UN agencies away from Geneva

Though the Swiss city has been a longtime home to over 40 international organisations, the United Arab Emirates would like to see the UN sector move to its capital city, Doha.

 

The reason, according to Swiss media, is that “since the gradual withdrawal of the United States, UN finances have been dwindling. This weakening of the budget has sharpened the ambitions of other states eager to assert themselves in an increasingly decentralised multilateral system.”

Doha’s approach, the media reported, is “part of a coherent strategy, but it comes as a massive blow to Switzerland.”

 

READ ALSO: Could Geneva lose its UN organisations to foreign countries? 

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Roaming abroad could become cheaper

Starting on June 1st, Switzerland’s largest telecom operator, Swisscom, is launching cheaper roaming fees for surfing in over 100 countries — including Europe, the United States, and the UK.

This means that mobile phone owners will benefit from a price reduction of up to 66 percent for roaming, depending on the country they are in.

READ ALSO: Swisscom to significantly cut roaming fees for abroad