Switzerland and Italy step up joint border controls
A joint control by Swiss-Italian police in Chiasso, canton Ticino, in 2019.
Keystone / Elia Bianchi
Checks are being stepped up on the Swiss and Italian sides of the border to combat irregular immigration. Italian-Swiss patrols are now operating near Lake Maggiore, it was reported on Thursday.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/sb
Italian-Swiss border patrols will check car and rail traffic as part of the cross-border cooperation between the two neighbours to combat irregular immigration, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security said in a statement.
Up to now, joint border patrols were active on the Italian side, east of Lake Maggiore, in the provinces of Varese and Como. From now on, the scope of these patrols will be extended to the Locarno region and the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region in Italy on the western shore of Lake Maggiore.
The relaxation of pandemic-era restrictions has brought an increase in the numbers of migrants taking the Balkan route into Europe’s prosperous heartland.
More
More
Justice minister concerned about rising migration through Balkans
This content was published on
The numbers of refugees and migrants coming to Western Europe via the Balkans have again “risen sharply”, including to Switzerland.
The numbers of refugees and migrants coming to Western Europe via the Balkans have again “risen sharply”, including to Switzerland, Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said on Tuesday.
While Switzerland is a transit country for many migrants, the numbers of asylum-seekers have nevertheless risen again. By the end of August, 12,362 asylum applications were registered, according to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SEM). The SEM has also corrected the expected asylum numbers from around 16,500 to 19,000 by the end of 2022.
More
More
How welcoming is Switzerland for refugees?
This content was published on
Besides geography, politics and the solidarity of the population play a decisive role in determining which countries people flee to.
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
This content was published on
The two cities have beaten Zurich and Bern onto the shortlist to host the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2025, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) said on Friday.
This content was published on
While construction expenditure in Switzerland rose by 0.3% in nominal terms last year, the price-adjusted situation shows a 2.5% decrease, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Another body found in southern Switzerland after June storms
This content was published on
A body was found in the Maggia river in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino on Thursday, police said. It is “likely” to be the sixth victim of devastating storms which hit the region at the end of June.
Swiss helicopter rescue pioneers safe autopilot approach system
This content was published on
Swiss air rescue company Rega has received approval for a new kind of instrument flight system for approaching a hospital.
Algerian to face trial in Switzerland for ties to Islamic State
This content was published on
A 51-year-old Algerian man has been charged by the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office for involvement in the banned terrorist group.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Justice minister concerned about rising migration through Balkans
This content was published on
The numbers of refugees and migrants coming to Western Europe via the Balkans have again “risen sharply”, including to Switzerland.
This content was published on
Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has backed new measures to tighten security at the borders of Europe’s Schengen zone to prevent criminals exploiting the chaos of the Ukraine war.
This content was published on
Besides geography, politics and the solidarity of the population play a decisive role in determining which countries people flee to.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.