Swiss Consulate Closing
Correspondence between SABC and the Swiss Government from October 2013: SABC_Letter.pdf / SABC_Letter_Germann.pdf
Switzerland-U.S. trade represents a significant portion of transatlantic commerce:
- Switzerland is the 6th largest foreign investor in the United States, with over 700 Swiss companies providing employment for more than half a million Americans.
- Each year, Swiss firms export more than $15 billion in goods to the U.S. market which makes the United States the second largest importer of Swiss Goods.
- The United States is the largest foreign investor in Switzerland with American investments of over $70 billion.
Switzerland is also the International Management Gateway to Europe:
- First preference for European International Headquarters followed by U.K.
- Switzerland comes in first place as the European key location for Research & Development
- In the WEF Global Competitiveness Index 2006-2007 Switzerland ranked No.1 followed by Finland and Sweden
This information is designed to assist Swiss companies and professionals seeking to expand their business activities in the U.S., particularly the Midwest region
More information is below for assisting U.S. companies and professionals planning to expand their business activities in Switzerland.
General Midwest Information
State of Illinois
State of Indiana
State of Iowa
State of Michigan
State of Minnesota
State of Nebraska
State of North Dakota
State of Ohio
State of South Dakota
State of Wisconsin
State of Wyoming
Other Regional Resources
The Council of Midwestern State Governments
Business News Sources
The Cincinnati Enquirer Business News
Crain’s Chicago Business
Crain’s Detroit Business
Minneapolis Star Tribune Business News
Economics and Trade Policies
Federal
Bureau of Export Administration
Federal Trade Commission
International Trade Administration
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. DOC Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. International Trade Commission
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
U.S. State Department Bureau of European Affairs
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
Federal Regulatory Authorities (industry specific)
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Communications Commission
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
U.S. Dept. of Defense
U.S. Dept. of Energy
U.S. Dept. of Labor
U.S. Dept. of Transportation
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
State Departments of Commerce / Economic Development
Illinois
Indiana
Minnesota
Ohio
Wisconsin
Trade Fairs
McCormick Place Chicago
Trade Fair Directory
Industry Associations
Aerospace Industry Association of America
American Bankers Association
American Chemistry Council
American Machine Tool Distributors Association
American Paper Machinery Association
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers
American Textile Machinery Association
Association for Manufacturing Technology
Chemical Industry Home Page
Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois
Food Marketing Institute
Industrial Distribution Association
Nasdaq Stock Market
National Banking Industry Links
National Restaurant Association
Robotic Industries Association
Society of Plastics Industry
Society of Automotive Engineers
Telecommunications Industry Association
Doing Business in Switzerland
General Country Information
SWITZERLAND – a land of opportunities
Total area: 41,293 sq. kilometers (25,800 sq. miles)
Total boundaries: 1,852 km (with Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Germany)
Population: 7,283,200 (2001 est.)
Capital: Bern
Major Cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, and Zurich
Founding Date: August 1, 1291
Hear the Swiss National Anthem (MP3)
About the Swiss National Anthem
The Federal Council
(The eight members form the country’s Executive Branch of government)
Switzerland’s origins date back to 1291, when three small Alpine cantons joined forces to create an alliance following democratic principles. Since 1848, Switzerland has been a federal state, consisting of 23 cantons, three of which (Unterwalden, Appenzell and Basel) are divided into two half-cantons for historical reasons, and the most recent of which was formed in 1978 (canton of Jura). There are several German-speaking and French-speaking cantons, one Italian-speaking canton and cantons in which both German and French are spoken. In one canton (Grisons) German, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic (Rumantsch) are spoken. There are also cantons which are virtually made up of just of one city (e.g., Geneva).
As the world’s oldest existing direct democracy and a recognized symbol of peace, Switzerland has gained a unique appeal across the globe. Its appealing qualities are also prominent in business and trade. Each year Switzerland attracts extensive foreign direct investment because of the strength of its economy, its state-of-the-art infrastructure, its favorable legal and tax systems, its highly skilled workforce, and its stable government policies. The country also represents a key location for foreign companies to deal with the European market. Switzerland consistently ranks among the top 10 countries in economic studies and is one of the leading economies in Europe based on per capita GDP.
Today, over 600 U.S. companies, including a number of Fortune 500 companies, have set up operations in Switzerland, helping increase total U.S. investments in the alpine country to nearly $60 billion. Furthermore, Switzerland is a key to Europe, both as a geographically ideal location, with much of the continent’s transportation, telecommunications, and energy crossing the country, and economically, with some of the strongest financial institutions in the world headquartered in the country.
Federal Department of Finance
OSEC Business Network
Location Switzerland (or for: US-based site)
State Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Federal Department of Economy
Federal Statistics Office
Swiss Embassy in the U.S.
U.S. Embassy in Switzerland
U.S. Commercial Service, Switzerland
Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Dept. of State FY 2001 Trade Guide: Switzerland
OECD Economic Survey of Switzerland
Swiss Federation of Trade Unions
Swiss Banking Commission
Swiss Tourism Federation
Federal Office for Education and Science
Regional business information
Association of Swiss Foreign Trade Chambers
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Switzerland
Geneva Business Promotion
Basel Economics Ltd
Swissfirms Database
Trade Fairs
Swiss Trade Fairs Calendar
Association of Swiss Fairs (AFS)
Swiss Exhibition
Palexpo (Geneva)
Zurich Fair (Messe Zürich)
Industry Associations
Swiss Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries (SWISSMEM)
Swiss Society of Chemical Industries (SSCI)
Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH)
Swiss Textile Federation (SGCI)
Swiss Shippers’ Council
Swiss Association of Logistic
Swiss Plastics Association
Association of Swiss Metal-Working Industry Sub-Contractors (SMZ)
Swissmechanic (SM)
Swiss Software Association
Swiss Timber Information Council
Swiss Association of the Info., Comm. & Organization Industry (SWICO)
The Swiss Association for Environmental Technology (SVUT)
Swiss Bankers Association
Association of Cantonal Banks
Swiss Insurance Association
Swiss Association of Private Hospitals (SAPH)
Swiss Spa Association
Swiss Federation of Private Schools in Switzerland
Swiss Association of Purchasing and Materials Management
Federation of Swiss Importers and Wholesale-Traders
Swiss Research Information System
NOTE: The information is provided “As Is,” and we hereby disclaim any and all warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, quality, applicability or completeness of the information listed in this section. The information is general in nature and is provided for your convenience and should never be used in lieu of advice from a qualified and/or licensed professional. Please review our additional Terms and Conditions. SAF/SABC is not responsible for the content of third party web sites.