Handbook for Investors. Business location in Switzerland.

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Obwalden (OW) Business & residential promotion in Obwalden Dorfplatz 1 CH-6060 Sarnen Tel. +41 41 660 90 66 Fax +41 41 660 90 69 info@iow.ch www.iow.ch Schaffhausen (SH) Economic Promotion Canton Schaffhausen Herrenacker 15 CH-8200 Schaffhausen Tel. +41 52 674 03 03 Fax +41 52 674 06 09 economic.promotion@ generis.ch www.sh.ch/wf Schwyz (SZ) Office for Economy Economic Development Canton Schwyz Bahnhofstrasse 15 P.O. Box 1187 CH-6431 Schwyz Tel. +41 41 819 16 34 Fax +41 41 819 16 19 businesspromotion@sz.ch www.schwyz-economy.ch Solothurn (SO) Solothurn Economic Development Agency Untere Sternengasse 2 CH-4509 Solothurn Tel. +41 32 627 95 23 Fax +41 32 627 95 92 wifoe@awa.so.ch www.standortsolothurn.ch St.Gallen (SG) Location Promotion Business Development Agency Canton of St. Gallen Davidstrasse 35 CH-9001 St.Gallen Tel. +41 71 229 35 60 Fax +41 71 229 47 40 beat.ulrich@sg.ch www.location.sg.ch Ticino (TI) Sezione della promozione economica Viale S. Franscini 17 CH-6501 Bellinzona Tel. +41 91 814 35 41 Fax +41 91 814 44 57 info@copernico.ch www.copernico.ch Thurgau (TG) Thurgau Business Development Agency Zürcherstrasse 183 CH-8510 Frauenfeld Tel. +41 52 724 26 06 Fax +41 52 724 26 37 info@wiftg.ch www.wiftg.ch Uri (UR) Economic Affairs, Canton of Uri Department of Economic Development Klausenstrasse 4 CH-6460 Altdorf Tel. +41 41 875 24 01 Fax +41 41 875 24 12 wirtschaft@ur.ch www.ur.ch/wfu Valais (VS) Department of Economic Affairs and Regional Planning Office of Economic Development Business Valais Villa de Riedmatten Avenue Ritz 1 CH-1950 Sion Tel. +41 27 606 50 15 Fax +41 27 606 50 14 devs@admin.vs.ch www.business-valais.ch Vaud (VD) Economic Development Canton of Vaud (DEV) Avenue de Gratta-Paille 2 P.O. Box 452 CH-1000 Lausanne 30 Tel. +41 21 644 00 60 Fax +41 21 644 00 79 jean-frederic.berthoud@ dev.ch www.dev.ch Zug (ZG) Economic Promotion Aabachstrasse 5 CH-6301 Zug Tel. +41 41 728 55 04 Fax +41 41 728 55 09 economy@zug.ch www.zug.ch/economy Zurich (ZH) Office of Economy and Labour of the Canton of Zurich Economic Development Walchestrasse 19 CH-8090 Zurich Tel. +41 43 259 26 13 Fax +41 43 259 51 71 standort@vd.zh.ch www.standort.zh.ch Important notice Regional Location Marketing Organizations Greater Geneva Berne Area Economic Development Agency World Trade Center Avenue de Gratta-Paille 2 PO Box 253 CH-1000 Lausanne 22 Tel. +41 21 644 00 90 Fax +41 21 644 00 99 info@ggba-switzerland.org www.ggba-switzerland.org Greater Zurich Area AG Limmatquai 112 CH-8001 Zurich Tel. +41 44 254 59 59 Fax +41 44 254 59 54 info@greaterzuricharea.ch www.greaterzuricharea.ch BaselArea Aeschenvorstadt 36 CH-4010 Basel Tel. +41 61 295 50 00 Fax +41 61 295 50 09 info@baselarea.ch www.baselarea.ch Business Location Ostschweiz c/o Office of Economic and Labor Affairs Zürcherstrasse 183 CH-8510 Frauenfeld Tel. +41 52 724 22 43 Fax +41 52 724 26 37 ralph.roggensinger@tg.ch www.ost-schweiz.ch The information and data contained in this publication are drawn from a variety of sources and have been researched with the greatest possible care. Persons wishing to use information from this publication do so at their own risk. Osec as well as third parties who have provided input for the various sections (e.g. PricewaterhouseCoopers) assume no liability for the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information published in the Investor’s Handbook. 138 Handbook for Investors 2010
15.2 Table of figures. Fig. 1: Switzerland’s international rankings ......................... 9 Fig. 2: Map of Switzerland’s location ................................. 10 Fig. 3: Direct democracy ................................................... 12 Fig. 4: Political stability ...................................................... 13 Fig. 5: Globalization ........................................................... 15 Fig. 6: International organizations headquartered in Switzerland ............................................................. 16 Fig. 7: Switzerland in figures ............................................. 17 Fig. 8: 2008 (nominal) per capita gross domestic product in USD ....................................................... 18 Fig. 9: Industry structure, percentage of employees ......... 19 Fig. 10: 2008 competitiveness ranking Global Competitiveness Index (GCI).................................. 19 Fig. 11: 2006 Global Innovation Index ................................. 19 Fig. 12: Trade balance as a % of GDP ................................ 20 Fig. 13: Imports and exports by countries ........................... 20 Fig. 14: Direct investments .................................................. 21 Fig. 15: Economic freedom ................................................. 27 Fig. 16: Guide for innovative and creative minds ................ 30 Fig. 17: Overview of legal forms .......................................... 42 Fig. 18: Procedure for establishing a company (AG, GmbH) ............................................................ 46 Fig. 19: Do I need a visa? .................................................... 49 Fig. 20: Visa regulations for certain countries ..................... 49 Fig. 21: Types of permits ..................................................... 51 Fig. 22: Work and residence permits: rules and procedures.............................................................. 54 Fig. 23: Countries with which Switzerland has a trainee agreement ................................................... 57 Fig. 24: Online sources of information on real estate .......... 58 Fig. 25: Market prices for office space, as of fourth quarter .......................................................... 59 Fig. 26: Steps in a purchase transaction ............................. 60 Fig. 27: Construction sites: market prices for commercial buildings .............................................. 61 Fig. 28: Market prices for rental apartments ....................... 62 Fig. 29: Market prices for owner-occupied apartments ........ 63 Fig. 30: Permit requirement by group .................................. 65 Fig. 31: International comparison of worker motivation ....... 67 Fig. 32: International experience ......................................... 68 Fig. 33: Gross monthly salary (median), broken down by industry and region ............................................ 68 Fig. 34: Gross annual earned income in each occupational group in CHF .................................... 69 Fig. 35: Industry labor costs: direct remuneration and non-wage labor costs ...................................... 69 Fig. 36: Gross annual earned income in each occupational group ................................................. 70 Fig. 37: Labor market deregulation ..................................... 71 Fig. 38: Cooperation between employers and employees ...... 72 Fig. 39: Demarcation of day, evening and night .................. 73 Fig. 40: Appointments and dismissals ................................. 75 Fig. 41: Overview of compulsory contributions ................... 76 Fig. 42: Global financial centers .......................................... 81 Fig. 43: Mortgage interest rates .......................................... 85 Fig. 44: State incentives ...................................................... 87 Fig. 45: Credit rating: the ten safest countries .................... 88 Fig. 46: Capital costs ........................................................... 88 Fig. 47: Inflation ................................................................... 89 Fig. 48: Total tax rate (TTR).................................................. 93 Fig. 49: International business activity ................................ 99 Fig. 50: Quality of the infrastructure .................................. 102 Fig. 51: Direct intercontinental air connections from Zurich and Geneva ............................................... 105 Fig. 52: National and regional airports in Switzerland ....... 106 Fig. 53: Internet subscribers .............................................. 107 Fig. 54: Healthcare infrastructure ...................................... 109 Fig. 55: Switzerland’s educational system ........................ 111 Fig. 56: Quality of the educational system ........................ 112 Fig. 57: Public spending on education per capita in USD ...... 112 Fig. 58: Swiss higher education landscape ....................... 114 Fig. 59: Tuition fees in CHF per year ................................. 115 Fig. 60: Executive MBA: the top schools........................... 116 Fig. 61: School fees for international private schools........ 117 Fig. 62: Total per capita expenditure on research and development in USD ..................................... 118 Fig. 63: Nobel prizes per million inhabitants...................... 118 Fig. 64: Research institutions in Switzerland ..................... 118 Fig. 65: Global comparison of quality of living .................. 120 Fig. 66: Personal safety ..................................................... 121 Fig. 67: Attractiveness for highly qualified employees from foreign countries........................................... 121 Fig. 68: Favorite leisure activities ...................................... 125 Fig. 69: Real disposable income in Swiss municipalities ........127 Fig. 70: Average household budget................................... 128 Fig. 71: International comparison of purchasing power (including rents) ......................................... 128 Fig. 72: Examples of cantonal incentives and economic assistance ............................................ 131 Fig. 73: Applicable regions for tax relief ............................ 132 Fig. 74: Technology parks and incubator centers ............. 134 Handbook for Investors 2010 139
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Handbook for Investors. Business lo
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Welcome. Dear Reader, By choosing t
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Table of contents. Advantages offer
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10.3.4 Cross-border commuters .....
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9. Excellent educational institutio
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1.2 Climate. Switzerland’s climat
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Despite the close proximity of diff
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1.7.2 Direct investments and Swiss
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1.8 Switzerland in figures. Fig. 7:
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Fig. 9: Industry structure, percent
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2.2.2 Direct investments In additio
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The medical technology industry is
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Dachorganisation Informatik- und Te
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3. Economic framework. Free competi
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Customs information www.zoll.admin.
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Swiss Federal Institute of Intellec
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In the main, Swiss product liabilit
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3.5.2 Environment Swiss environment
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4.2 Political and economic cooperat
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4.3 The euro. Even though the offic
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The following criteria are crucial
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Liability Minimum capital Consultin
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Sole proprietorship and general par
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5.4.2 Entry in the commercial regis
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Fig. 19: Do I need a visa? I would
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6.1.3 Application procedure 1. Pers
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6.3.3 Special case: students The pr
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EU/EFTA nationals EU-17 (original E
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Social insurance for foreign nation
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7.1.2 Temporary accommodation and f
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Fig. 27: Construction sites: market
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Fig. 29: Market prices for owner-oc
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Fig. 30: Permit requirement by grou
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8. Labor market and labor laws. Swi
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Fig. 34: Gross annual earned income
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Fig. 37: Labor market deregulation
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If the weekly maximum working hours
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for a specific period from unemploy
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8.6.1 Old age and survivors’ insu
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Calculation of family allowances by
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9. Financial center and capital mar
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Cantonal banks Deposit Protection o
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a minimum requirement is that purch
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Page 89 and 90: 9.6 Inflation. Switzerland has alwa
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Page 97 and 98: 10.4.2 Treaty rates Most treaties p
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Page 101 and 102: 10.8 Transfer pricing rules. Accord
Page 103 and 104: outes. The connection between Germa
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Page 107 and 108: CHF 1.60 per thousand liters in Swi
Page 109 and 110: Fig. 54: Healthcare infrastructure,
Page 111 and 112: Fig. 55: Switzerland’s educationa
Page 113 and 114: PISA study Federal Office for Profe
Page 115 and 116: Fig. 59: Tuition fees in CHF per ye
Page 117 and 118: Fig. 61: School fees for internatio
Page 119 and 120: Institution Location Homepage SLF W
Page 121 and 122: Fig. 66: Personal safety, 2008 New
Page 123 and 124: Yellow Pages yellow.local.ch Langua
Page 125 and 126: Anyone who rents a property is urge
Page 127 and 128: Fig. 69: Real disposable income in
Page 129 and 130: 14. Promoting Switzerland. Location
Page 131 and 132: Fig. 72: Examples of cantonal incen
Page 133 and 134: R&D project grants are available in
Page 135 and 136: 20 TechnoArk, Sierre www.technoark.
Page 137: Switzerland. Trade & Investment Pro
Page 141 and 142: Countries of Europe. Handbook for I
Page 143 and 144: Language regions. Handbook for Inve
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