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Trade and investments

Article as analysis

The World Bank's flagship ranking in doubt

The data in the World Bank's Doing Business ranking table are thought to have been manipulated to favour China, among others. Criticised for its bias towards economic liberalisation, the table is losing even more credibility.

No more EFTA power play against the South!

250 organisations from 60 countries are calling on Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein in an open letter to stop imposing strict plant variety protection laws on the countries of the global South.

Article as analysis

Back to «normal»?

The corona pandemic is not just an epoch-making health and humanitarian challenge, but in many developing countries will also translate into a protracted economic, political and social crisis. International solidarity is needed now more than ever.

Political article

Tomatoes with a bitter aftertaste

Cofco Tunhe, the world's second-largest producer of canned tomatoes, operates in Xinjiang, where China oppresses millions of Uyghurs. The Cofco Group has set up its global trading headquarters in Geneva. Switzerland must act.

Political article

After the elections...

Much has already been written about the 2019 parliamentary election results. One searched the media in vain for an assessment of their implications for Switzerland‘s development policy approaches or its foreign policy.

Political article

Driver of development, neo-colonialism – or both?

With the Belt and Road Initiative, China is pushing global development in a manner unparalleled to date. But how sustainable are the “new silk roads”? Switzerland wants a piece of the cake and has signed a memorandum of understanding with China.

Political article

The obsolescence of the free trade model

The free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries raises questions. Those being affected locally fear even more power for agribusiness. And gloomy prospects for the observance of human rights.

Political article

Mercosur negotiations behind closed doors

Anger is widespread in Mercosur countries over free trade negotiations with the EU. It is feared that industrial jobs will disappear to make way for a commodity-exporting economy. Things are not much different in the case of EFTA.

Mercosur and EFTA: Transparency requested!

Four Swiss NGOs and Friends of the Earth Uruguay ask State parties to guarantee transparency in the free trade negotiations between Mercosur and EFTA.