What's the status of Switzerland's reputation?

[Dauphin]

I know that Switzerland invented the Helvetica font. (Kind of obvious really).

[axi]

They made the Swiss Army Knife too...

[Dr Strangelove]

Didn't they invent the obnoxiously sticky sweet children's morality story, i.e., Heidi? In a way they're the the moral founders of Disneyland and its ilk. I've seen "Bread and Chocolate" though so I'm fully aware of their true nature.

[Traianvs]

i associate switzerland with the Helvetians and Thyon skiing

[mapfi]

What's wrong with Heidi!!?!?!?!?!!!

[Dr Strangelove]

Didn't Heidi eventually prove that the crippled girl was just a spoiled brat who was faking the whole thing? This was obviously the forerunner of the nazi's program to eliminate the weak from their society.

[mapfi]

That's the most interesting interpretation I've ever heard - wonderful!

[Bereta_Eder]

Re: What's the status of Switzerland's reputation?

Originally posted by mapfi
Just wondering how the world see us nowadays. What comes to your mind first? Any prejudices?

on a sidenote, there are like 3 or 4 active Swiss posters around here - do you fellows have any idea on why not more?

Banks. That pretty much sums it up

[Ozz]

The Infamous Swiss Bank account, where Criminals, Dictators, and Tax Dodgers hide their loot.

Switerland profits on other countries crime.

[mapfi]

of which the last one is nowadays really true - the other two have really been fighted, but who knows...

[Lars-E]

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are members of EFTA. The EFTA Convention established a free trade area among its Member States in 1960. In addition, the EFTA States have jointly concluded free trade agreements with a number of countries worldwide.

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway entered into the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1992, which entered into force in 1994. The current contracting parties are, in addition to the three EFTA states, the European Community and the 15 EC Member States.

EFTA is served by three institutions: the EFTA Secretariat, the EFTA Surveillance Authority and the EFTA Court.



At its Headquarters in Geneva the EFTA Secretariat serves the EFTA Council and its substructure in implementing the EFTA Convention and free trade agreements worldwide.

In Brussels, the Secretariat serves the EFTA Standing Committee and its substructure, the EEA Joint Committee and the EEA Council in implementing the EEA Agreement providing for the extension of the EC Internal Market to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

In Luxembourg, the Secretariat administers statistical cooperation on the basis of the EEA Agreement as well as technical assistance programmes.

Furthermore, the EFTA Secretariat serves the EFTA Parliamentary and Consultative Committees in pursuing their duties.



The EFTA Surveillance Authority shall ensure that Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway respect their obligations under the EEA Agreement and that enterprises abide by the competion rules.

The Authority can investigate possible infringements either on its own initiative or on the basis of complaints.



The EFTA Court carries out the judicial control regarding the EEA Agreement, operating in parallel to the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The EFTA Court has jurisdiction with regard to the EEA EFTA States.
The Court is mainly competent to deal with infringement actions brought by the EFTA Surveillance Authority against an EFTA State:

for the settlement of disputes between two or more EFTA States,

for appeals concerning decisions taken by the EFTA Surveillance Authority and

for giving advisory opinions to courts in EFTA States on the interpretation of EEA rules.

[mapfi]

Now if you're planning on running a business in one of those countries this is useful information...

[Bereta_Eder]

Ignore Ozz, it's a DL and has been already owned.


Switzerland is under a bit of pressure this time of year for harmonizing its bank secrecy laws with these of the EU.

Has to do with taxing EU citizens with money abroad and tax evasion.

[Zopperoni]

Re: What's the status of Switzerland's reputation?

Originally posted by mapfi
Just wondering how the world see us nowadays. What comes to your mind first? Any prejudices?

First things that come to mind are: knives, watches, chocolate, neutrality, and that cyclotron-thing you have.

on a sidenote, there are like 3 or 4 active Swiss posters around here - do you fellows have any idea on why not more?

I'm not really Swiss.

[mapfi]

so it's like 2 or 3... and a few hiding maybe

Who'd be crazy enough to make it look like he's Swiss = the uttermost scum of western civilization?