Our achievements
There are many achievements where the CSA has played a decisive role in their implementation:
- Swiss Citizenship Act 1953, allowing women with a foreign spouse to hold on to their Swiss citizenship;
- the inclusion of Swiss living abroad in the Federal Constitution in 1966;
- maintaining optional old-age and disability insurance (AHV/IV);
- several civil rights revisions in favour of Swiss living abroad;
- promotion of training for young Swiss abroad;
- the introduction of the right to vote by mail;
- loss of livelihood protection for political reasons (the Solidarity Fund ‘Soliswiss’);
- aid to Swiss victims of natural disasters and financial emergency help to Swiss returnees (the E.O. Kilcher Foundation);
- www.SwissCommunity.org – the platform for the Swiss Abroad launched in 2010;
- involvement in the creation of the ‘Swiss Abroad Act’;
- lobbying for the introduction of e-voting (ongoing).
All these deserve to be highlighted as major achievements. It is also thanks to the activities of the CSA that the presence and importance of the Swiss Abroad within the public, the media and the government back in Switzerland has increased significantly over the years.
Our goals and vision
The CSA has formulated a mission that stakes out the direction and offers impetus for the future, both for our organisation and the Swiss Abroad that it serves:
- all Swiss Abroad eligible to vote will be able to participate in elections and popular votes in Switzerland. Their constitutional political right will be protected;
- Swiss banks and insurance companies will offer their services to the Swiss Abroad on satisfactory terms comparable to those offered to citizens in Switzerland;
- the CSA will finally have a true representative composition, with all delegates world-wide elected directly via e-voting;
- the number of Swiss expatriate associations will increase world-wide, with greater representation among all age groups;
- the OSA Executive Board and the CSA will be headed by a female president for the first time.
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News
Survey: tell us what is important to you!
We, the re-elected Oceania delegates to the Council of the Swiss Abroad are conducting a survey.
As representatives of our region we would like to identify the topics that matter to the Swiss Abroad and set priorities to focus on for the next four years.
Your input will help to not only identify issues but also enable us to take a well informed approach.
The anonymous survey will take less than 5 minutes of your time: https://tinyurl.com/28utn692
Report on the Council of the Swiss Abroad Meeting – August 2021
As happened in 2020, due to the COVID-19, the Congress of the Swiss Abroad and the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) that were to be held in Lugano, again had to be postponed to next year. Subsequently, the Council meeting was held online, and split over two sessions. The first 5-hour long session was held late at night Australian time on 20 August, the second took place on 23 August and lasted just over 4 hours.
New procedure for the submission of the AHV/AVS Life Certificate
From 1 May 2021 the AHV/Swiss Compensation Office in Geneva requires again the Life Certificate form to be officially confirmed by a local authority (Consulate General of Switzerland in Sydney, Embassy of Switzerland in Canberra, Centrelink, Public Notary, Justice of Peace).
Dispatch of voting material by diplomatic courier: a temporary solution
At the next voting day in June, Swiss Abroad in Australia that are registered in the cantons of Aargau, Ticino and Geneva, will have their voting papers delivered to Australia via diplomatic courier.
Thanks to everyone who provided feedback about the late arrival of voting papers in Australia. Pilot projects like these are the result of Swiss Abroad providing feedback, CSA delegates and media raising awareness and understanding and support by Members of parliament.
Submission of life certificate
Swiss citizens living abroad who receive an OASI (AHV) or DI (IV) pension must submit a certified life certificate to the Central Compensation Office in Geneva (ZAS) every year. Due to the Corona pandemic, it has become difficult to visit authorities, meet deadlines and send documents by post in many countries. For this reason, the Swiss Compensation Office in Geneva is temporarily accepting life certificates by e-mail. These can be confirmed by the insured persons themselves by means of a signature (without an official stamp).
Report on the Council of the Swiss Abroad Meeting – Feb/March 2021
The spring meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad was held online, and split over two sessions. The first one was held on 6 February, the second on 20 March.
Voting in Switzerland
Last Sunday was voting day in Switzerland. For most Swiss in the Oceania region the voting material again did not arrive in time to send back or has not arrived yet at all.
Calling Swiss Students and Graduates
If you are interested in a stay in Switzerland and working as language assistant this might be something for you!
More information and contact details can be found on the website of Movetia, click here!
Update on E-Voting | 16.12.2020
Many Swiss in Oceania have expressed their frustration and disappointment on the late or non-arrival of their voting material sent by regular mail from Switzerland.
CSA Delegates Elections 2021
The term of your current four CSA Oceania Delegates ends mid 2021, and elections are being held in Australia starting the process early in 2021.
Calling Swiss Students and University Graduates!
If you are interested in a stay in Switzerland and working as language assistant then this might be something for you!
More information and contact on the website of Movetia
#Swissabroad #bridgebuilders #swisscommunity #movetia
Report on the Council of the Swiss Abroad Meeting – July 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Congress of the Swiss Abroad and the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) that were to be held in Lugano this August had to be postponed to next year. As a consequence – and as a first of its kind – the CSA meeting was conducted virtually, utilising the online conference system ‘Demio’. It took place on 10 July 2020 and a total of 86 delegates participated.
Council of the Swiss Abroad Spring Meeting 2020
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) on 14 March 2020 in Berne had to be cancelled. As a consequence - and as a first in the history of the organisation – the 127 delegates were asked to cast their votes electronically in matters that couldn’t be postponed until the next meeting.
2020 without any Council of the Swiss Abroad assembly
Sadly, the Congress of the Swiss Abroad that was to be held in Lugano from 21 to 23 August 2020, and with it the CSA summer assembly, had to be cancelled.
Coronavirus – a message from the Swiss Government
Dear fellow Swiss
As you are all aware the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is quickly spreading around the world but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not changed its warning level (public health emergency of international concern) since January 30, 2020.
An update on e-voting and the federal election 2019
A lot has happened lately with regards to e-voting. There has been growing resistance and a fair bit of scare-mongering in Switzerland regarding the introduction of e-voting. Whilst the advantages are obvious to the government and the Swiss Abroad, sceptics argue that the trust in the democratic process is compromised due to e-security uncertainty and the cost of developing a secure system is also a concern. Earlier this year, a broad alliance of political parties has been collecting signatures for a popular initiative. Their aim is to ban the introduction of e-voting for at least five years.
Report of the Spring Meeting 2019
The legislative body of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), met for its biannual meeting at the town hall in Bern on 23 March 2019. For the second time, the meeting followed on an exchange with Swiss parliamentarians for an update on political issues with relevance for the Swiss Abroad.
Geneva shelves e-voting platform on cost grounds
Canton Geneva has announced it can no longer afford to bear the cost of an e-voting system and plans to abandon the project, according to Swiss public radio, RTS. This leaves only one other e-voting project still standing in Switzerland run by Swiss Post.
Read the full Swissinfo report here
Banking problem: No solution for the Swiss Abroad
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 13 June 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) representing the interests of 751,800 compatriots living abroad, is disappointed that the Council of States today rejected Motion 17.3626 by 30 votes to 9 with 4 abstentions. The Council of States has decided not to follow the majority of its Foreign Policy Commission (APK-S) and has rejected a motion calling on PostFinance to accept Swiss Abroad on similar terms as citizens residing in Switzerland. The problem that has existed for our compatriots living abroad for ten years remains unresolved.
Council of States decides against discriminatory social security changes
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 30 May 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) is relieved that the Council of States has today decided to follow the recommendation of its Commission on Social Security and Health (SGK-S) to delete the amendment to Article 4 (1) in the context of the supplementary benefits reform. This means that the current rules remain in place. Last March, the National Council approved an application whereby Swiss Abroad would have had to pay social security contributions (AHV) for at least ten years in order to qualify for supplementary benefits, which would have discriminated against Swiss Abroad.
New Partnership with Geneva Cantonal Bank
On 10 March 2018, at he CSA meeting in Bern, the executive of the OSA announced that it had entered into a partnership with the Geneva Cantonal Bank (BCGE).
More information is available under the topic Swiss Banks.
Health insurance: we’re interested in your experiences!
The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) would like to know about difficulties you have encountered in the area of health insurance and the practical problems that you face as a Swiss person living abroad. This may be of specific relevance to those living temporarily in the Oceania region or those in need for travel insurance when visiting Switzerland. By the same token, if you have had positive experiences or wish to share good practices, please do so!
The purpose is to look at ways of improving the situation of Swiss people living abroad in this regard.
You can send your experiences and suggestions to us delegates and/or directly to the head office in Bern: info@aso.ch
Automatic Exchange of Information with New Zealand
The Swiss Parliament voted for the Introduction of Automatic Exchange of Information with New Zealand. A summary and comments by Peter Ehrler, New Zealand Member of the Council of the Swiss Abroad.
Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) with New Zealand – Swiss National Council says NO!
On 27 September, the National Council (Nationalrat) followed the recommendation from the Economic Commission of the Lower House and rejected implementing the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) with New Zealand. The majority of the members are of the opinion that the Swiss in New Zealand are disadvantaged over other Swiss living abroad, because of the Swiss pension (AHV) being confiscated by the New Zealand Government.
For more news please check our News Archive