Voters to decide to abolish unique tax

Friday, 13 August 2021 06:59

It looks likely Geneva voters will be given the opportunity to abolish a unique tax in the canton after more than 7,000 people signed a petition.

The so called ‘professional tax’ is paid by companies based on the number of employees they have and does not take into account profitability.

It’s unique in Switzerland and dates back to the Napoleon era.

The head of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Vincent Subilia, says the tax is a brake on the attractiveness of Geneva.

Last year it raised CHF 200m, less than 10% of the overall tax levied by the canton.

More from Bitesize News

Heat to stay for now

The heatwave alert has been extended until Thursday, with temperatures set to climb as high as 37 degrees in some areas.
Growing anger over World Cup red card

The Swiss team's manager, Murat Yakin has called Breel Embolo's red card 'unacceptable', as anger builds over the refereeing of Switzerland's World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina.
Fire damages trees in the Jardin Anglais

A fire tore through part of Geneva's Jardin Anglais on Saturday morning, gutting several trees and damaging a lakeside building used by the Mouettes ferry service.
Cows sweltering in the heat

The heat is now hitting the country's dairy herds, with cows producing less milk as they burn extra energy to stay cool.
Lake Geneva nudists fight for their lake section

A hidden stretch of Lake Geneva shoreline has become the focus of a long-running battle over public nudity.
Holiday makers seek more than the sun

Nearly half of Swiss holidaymakers are choosing to learn a new skill on their summer break rather than simply lie on a beach.