4th ICC Geneva Business Dialogue Roundtable

We were happy to have welcomed business, NGO and state representatives to our 4th Business Dialogue Roundtable at the WTO. Under the topic “Harnessing Business Resources to meet the SDGs” the focus lay on SDG 2,3,12 and 17.

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Zürich, 7. Mai 2019 

AHV-Steuervorlage stärkt Wirtschaftsstandort Schweiz

 
ICC Switzerland empfiehlt JA-Parole

Für ICC Switzerland ist die AHV-Steuervorlage notwendig, um den international ausgerichteten Unternehmen in der Schweiz Rechts- und Investitionssicherheit zu geben. Die aktuellen Steuerprivilegien sind international nicht mehr haltbar und müssen abgeschafft werden. Die AHV-Steuervorlage macht dies im Rahmen der föderalen Steuerpolitik und stärkt somit den Wirtschaftsstandort Schweiz. ICC Switzerland empfiehlt für die Abstimmung vom 19. Mai 2019 ein klares JA.

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Harnessing Business Resources to Help Meet the SDGs

To stimulate and facilitate the exchange among international organisations and the respective diplomatic representations in Geneva, ICC Switzerland continues its Geneva Business Dialogue with a series of high-ranking panel presentations and roundtables.

It is part of a weeklong USCIB Geneva programme to support an open dialogue among leaders in the business community, and United Nations and civil society leaders on best strategies for meeting the SDGs, and is a key part of the ICC’s 2019 centennial celebration.

The opening address will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives from International Organisations, Governments, Business and non-governmental organisations.

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Workshop on the ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code

ICC Switzerland has organized a workshop together with ks/cs – Communication Switzerland on the new «ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code”.

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Enforcement, Setting Aside and Related Treaty Claims: A View From Europe

This Conference, which marks the 100th anniversary of the ICC, is a “must attend” for arbitration practitioners and more generally dispute resolution professionals, who want to keep up to date with the latest developments and increasing challenges when it comes to enforcement and setting aside of arbitral awards.

With a highly interactive format and dynamic presentations from real thought leaders in arbitration, this premier event of its kind in Switzerland will bring together panelists (arbitration counsel, arbitrators, and academics) from all over Europe to discuss recent trends and decisions in relation to the setting aside and enforcement of arbitral awards, and the circumstances under which the violation of the New York Convention could amount to a violation of investment protection standards.

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Framework Agreement, EU membership or going it alone?

Speaker: State Secretary Roberto Balzaretti

The bilateral relations between Switzerland and the European Union are approaching a crossroad. The Federal Council submitted the draft text for an institutional framework agreement (INSTA) between Switzerland and the EU to a broad consultation. The EU declared such an agreement as precondition to develop the bilateral economic relations further. In such a situation, the conclusion of an institutional or framework agreement might become the only alternative to a full adhesion to the EU.

ICC Switzerland regularly offers opportunities to discuss topics of current business interest. Our last Chairman's Lunch in Zurich focused on these Swiss-EU relations. We had the opportunity to learn more about the context when State Secretary Roberto Balzaretti shared his thoughts. As it is known from various public statements, the largest number of participants in the consultation process were in general in favor of an institutional framework agreement but raised various concerns and requested “clarifications” or even “re-negotiations”. In the discussions some possible ways forward have been touched. It became apparent that Switzerland obtained substantial improvements during the negotiations. It would be important to take more a strategic view instead of focusing on single eventually problematic facts. The political process will take quite some time in any case. This gives room to search for clarifications in parallel. Therefore, a quick positive reaction by Switzerland to the European Union would be helpful to deblock the relations.