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.
1916–2016 — a century of service to the Swiss Abroad
In 2016, the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad is celebrating its centenary and 100 years of working on behalf of the Swiss Abroad.
Parliament of the Young Swiss Abroad
Ryan Cooper, Secretary and Oceania Representative of the Parliament of the Young Swiss Abroad in an Interview on Echo Helvetia (german/english).
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News
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.
The new Council meets at the Congress of the Swiss Abroad
In the lead-up to the Congress of the Swiss Abroad held in Basel, 116 delegates from all over the world assembled in the historic town hall on Friday 18 August for the constituent meeting of the new Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) for the term 2017-2021.
Our fight for banking fairness is gathering momentum
The Swiss expatriates are turning up the heat on Swiss institutions to grant discrimination-free access to financial services. The issue has plagued the community for nearly a decade.
Echo Helvetia - Newly elected and keen
Adrian Plitzco from SBS Radio interviews Katja Wallimann Gates who has been elected as a member of the Council of the Swiss Abroad. She explains what the organisation stands for and how she herself wants to contribute (Swiss-German). Echo Helvetia
Politicians from the left and the right work together for Swiss Abroad to get access to banks
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 4 July 2017 – The Foreign Policy Commission of the National Council has lodged a motion (19 to 0 votes with 1 abstention), calling on PostFinance to investigate the extension of basic financial services for Swiss Abroad. Since 2008 Swiss Abroad find it increasingly difficult to maintain a banking relationship in Switzerland. Our countrymen abroad need a bank account to maintain health insurance, facilitate social security contributions or to conduct financial transactions related to real estate ownership.
The mobile passport station will arrive in New Zealand (Kaponga and Timaru) in October 2017
Swiss citizens residing in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Niue and American Samoa will have the opportunity to apply for a new Swiss passport and/or ID card in Kaponga or in Timaru instead of flying to Wellington for this purpose. This service will be available from 2 to 6 October 2017.
Delegates of the Swiss Abroad elected for the first time via the Internet
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 28 June 2017 – GENEVA: Yesterday, in the presence of the directors of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), representatives of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the canton of Geneva, as well as National Councillor (SP/GE) and member of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), Carlo Sommaruga, the electronic urn containing 1,378 ballots from Swiss citizens living in Mexico and Australia was opened. 7.43% of the eligible voters in Australia and 6.96% of those in Mexico participated in this premiere. For the first time, they were able to elect their delegates to the CSA online, using the CHVote electronic voting system made available by the canton of Geneva.
Social security insurance agreement for Swiss Abroad in New Zealand
Through an interpellation*, National Councillor, Roland Rino Büchel (SVP/SG), has asked the Federal Council when it intends to conclude a social security insurance agreement with New Zealand.
Obligation for system-relevant banks to accept Swiss Abroad
OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 16 June 2017 – State Councillor and Vice-President of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), Filippo Lombardi (CVP/TI) has today lodged a motion in relation to system-relevant banks, which was signed by 35 members of the Council of States. He calls on the Council of States to ensure that all Swiss nationals can open an account with such a bank. This in return for the implicit state guarantee to save them if necessary.
Your input is needed - Swiss Migration Survey
Are you a Swiss who has migrated to Australia or New Zealand as an adult? Please take 10 minutes of your time to participate in an important research survey from the University of Waikato on Swiss migration motives and consequences.