Swiss citizens abroad use the web to elect their delegates
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 12 June 2017 – Between today and 27 June, Swiss citizens living in Australia and Mexico are invited to elect their delegates to the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), the governing body of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). For those living in these two countries, the big innovation for the 2017 election will be the ability to vote online using the CHVote electronic voting system developed by the canton of Geneva. The Confederation recognises the CSA as the official body representing the Swiss abroad.
Cyclone Debbie
A destructive category 4 cyclone has hit North Queensland today (28 March). Debbie crossed the coast over the Whitsundays between Bowen and Proserpine, leaving behind a trail of devastation caused by torrential rain, floods and wind gusts of up to 230kmph.
Elections of the Council of the Swiss Abroad
Australia is one of only two countries taking part in an e-voting pilot program. The aim is to conduct the CSA elections in a more democratic way by giving all eligible Swiss in Australia the opportunity to elect their representatives.
Play Aussie Rules Football for Switzerland at the Harmony Cup!
Australian Football International has invited the Swiss Community to field a team at the 2017 Aussie Rules Harmony Cup in Melbourne on Sunday, 2 April.
154,000 to use e-voting in 2017
Around 97,000 Swiss-based voters and 57,000 Swiss abroad will be able to use e-voting in the next nationwide vote on February 12, 2017. The government has approved five cantonal applications to trial e-voting for a further two years.
“Engagierte Auslandschweizerinnen”
Portraits of four young engaged Swiss abroad in the newest Migros-Magazin, amongst them also Sarah Hill from the Swiss Club of South Australia.
Mobile Passport Station in Adelaide
The Consulate General of Switzerland in Sydney will operate a mobile passport station in Adelaide on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 February 2017.
Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference 2016
The Australian and New Zealand members of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), Roland Isler VIC (chairperson), Carmen Trochsler SA, Beat Knoblauch NSW and Peter Ehrler NZ, organised a forum for leaders of all the Swiss community groups and associations from across Oceania.
Treffpunkt: Swiss Club of WA
Meet Lorenz Wuthrich, president of the Swiss Club of Western Australia. The interview is available as a podcast on SBS German.
100 years OSA - Video greetings from Swiss Abroad
The Swiss Abroad were asked by the OSA to shoot a video greetings message to celebrate 100 years of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). Have a look at the video!
“Auslandschweizer wurden als Musterpatrioten porträtiert” Interview with Rudolf Wyder, OSA Director 1987-2013
Wie hat sich die Fünfte Schweiz im Lauf der Zeit verändert?
Mobile Passport Station coming to Auckland
In December 2016 it is the turn of the Embassy of Switzerland to fly the extra mile!
Artist from Australia wins ‘artist in residence’ project
Swiss-Australian artist Lucienne Fontannaz-Howard received top marks for her work.
Spring assembly of the Council of the Swiss Abroad, Brunnen 2016
The Council of the Swiss abroad met in Brunnen on 16 April 2016.
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News
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
Spring Meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad
The legislative body of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), met for its biennial meeting at the town hall in Bern on 10 March 2018.
The meeting followed on an informal exchange with Swiss parliamentarians on Thursday afternoon where a first update on the political issues with relevance for the Swiss Abroad was given.
Cyclone Gita: Tonga devastated by worst storm in 60 years
The islands of Tonga in the South Pacific have been devastated by Tropical Cyclone Gita. Winds of 230km/h have flattened parts of Parliament House and caused significant damage and injuries across the kingdom, which is made up on 176 islands, though only 40 are inhabited. Thankfully, no reports of causalities have been received. Australia and New Zealand have already dispatched emergency supplies.
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.
Mobile passport station to visit Queensland and the Northern Territory in 2018
The Consulate General of Switzerland in Sydney informs that it plans to visit the following cities with the mobile passport station:
• Brisbane (second half of May – early June)
• Mackay (second half of May – early June)
• Cairns (second half of May)
• Darwin (second half of May)
No to the ‘No Billag’ initiative
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 3 November 2017 – The federal referendum ‘Yes to the abolition of radio and television fees (abolition of Billag fees)’ intents to abolish the reception fees for licensed radio and television broadcasters with a public service obligation. The Federal Council is of the opinion that Switzerland needs a comprehensive public service in the media sector and that it cannot be financed exclusively on a commercial basis. It therefore rejects the initiative.
The Executive Board of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), like Parliament and the Federal Council, opposes the initiative, which will be voted on 4 March 2018. Public services in the information sector are of the utmost importance for Swiss Abroad.
Parliamentarians call for the introduction of e-voting
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 25 October 2017 – On Tuesday, 24 October, the governors and state secretaries of the Swiss cantons have received a letter signed by ten federal parliamentarians from the most important political parties, demanding that all Swiss Abroad be able to choose their National Councillors in the 2019 Swiss Federal Elections. The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), which has been working for years to ensure that the Swiss Abroad are able to use this voting channel, is delighted about this initiative and fully supports it.
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.
The Federal Council is to provide information on draft law that affect Swiss Abroad
On 19 September, 2017, National Councillor and Swiss Abroad, Tim Guldimann (SP/ZH), together with 70 co-signatories, submitted a motion obliging the Federal Council to inform in the event that a draft law or a proposed amendment affects Swiss citizens abroad. This would allow deliberating such effects at an early stage in parliament.
Council of States: Swiss banks "too big to fail" to accept Swiss Abroad
The Swiss Council of States yesterday adopted a motion which requires all Swiss banks that are “too big to fail” to accept Swiss citizens living outside of Switzerland. The motion was submitted by Filippo Lombardi (CVP/Ticino) and adopted with 23 votes to 14 and 6 abstentions. The banks in question are UBS, Credit Suisse, Zuercher Kantonalbank, Raiffeisen and Postfinance.
National Council votes for access to PostFinance for Swiss Abroad
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 11 September 2017 – the National Council (NC) today adopted, by 178 votes to 4 with 7 abstentions, a motion tabled by the Foreign Affairs Commission of the NC on 4 July 2017. This motion requires that PostFinance revises its universal financial services to extend them to Swiss Abroad in order to enable them to fulfill their financial obligations. PostFinance, the main shareholder of which is state-owned Swiss Post, has a special responsibility towards Swiss citizens.