Swiss firms will not be compensated if 5G found to be harmful
The Swiss government will apply the precautionary principle to fifth generation mobile communications (5G) and can tighten existing laws in the face of new scientific evidence on risks.
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Fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications antennas are starting to go up in Switzerland. Not everyone is happy about this.
Mobile operators that have invested in 5G technology will not be financially compensated by the state if stricter laws are introduced, the Federal Council responded on Thursday to a parliamentarian’s question. The financial cost of complying with scientifically-backed new legislation will have to be borne by the telecom companies. There was acknowledgement of the World Health Organization’s decision to classify high frequency radiation as potentially carcinogenic to humans but the government pointed out the absence of relevant long-term studies.
Hence, the Federal Council has taken these grey areas into account based on the precautionary principle. It has set stricter installation limit values for sensitive areas likes homes, schools, hospitals, offices, playgrounds, etc. to ensure low-level exposure over the long term.
When it comes to compensating victims of harmful exposure, several existing legal provisions would make it possible to demand compensation, provided a causal link can be proven. As of now, the law does not provide for the creation of a mutual compensation fund financed by mobile telephone operators.
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Swiss cantons lack clout to ban 5G mobile network
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The cantons of Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud are reported to have declared or to be considering a moratorium on 5G antennas. The issue is also reportedly on the agenda in Bern, St Gallen and Schwyz. But an OfcomExternal link spokesperson told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper on Sunday that the federal authorities alone are responsible for…
Direct trains to run from Zurich to Florence and Livorno
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The Swiss Federal Railways and Trenitalia will offer direct trains from Zurich to Florence and Livorno and vice versa from 2026.
Number of Swiss armed forces exceeds specified limit
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The Swiss armed forces had an effective headcount of around 147,000 as of March 1, 2024. This exceeds the upper limit of 140,000 specified in the army organisation by 5%.
More than 400,000 cross-border commuters now work in Switzerland
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More than half of all cross-border commuters were resident in France (around 57%). Large proportions also lived in Italy (23%) and Germany (around 16%).
Amherd and von der Leyen discuss ongoing Swiss-EU negotiations
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Swiss President Viola Amherd and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have met and talked about the ongoing negotiations between Bern and Brussels.
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One million francs, 34 million euros and around 830 kilos of gold: this is the fortune that two Swiss nationals are accused of having moved across borders for at least four years.
Girls in female-dominated classes earn more later on
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At the age of 30, women from school classes with a 55% share of girls earn $350 more per year than women from classes with a 45% share of girls.
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Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a downturn in performance for the first half of its 2024/25 financial year. Both sales and profit declined.
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Telecoms firms awarded 5G mobile frequencies
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The Swiss government has raised CHF380 million ($379 million) from auctioning fifth-generation (5G) mobile radio frequencies, it said on Friday.
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Organised by the Stop5G citizen group, the gathering on Bern’s Waisenhausplatz square – a couple of stone’s throws away from the federal parliament – was the first significant national expression of resistance to plans for a 5G Switzerland. Scientists, doctors, engineers, environmentalists, left-wing politicians, and even a tech-sceptic musician took to the stage to highlight…
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Fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications antennas are starting to go up in Switzerland. Not everyone is happy about this.
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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.