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Doing business in Switzerland

A selection of articles, books and online resources to help you explore the key issues for doing business in Switzerland.

Key data

Ease of Doing Business in Switzerland
Summary of comprehensive annual data collated by the World Bank giving key indicators for business and economic conditions. Includes information on typical business procedures, showing time to complete and associated costs for each step.

Guides

Switzerland: providing services and travelling for business from 1 January 2021
Department for International Trade
Guidance aimed at UK businesses on rules for trading in services with this jurisdiction after the Brexit transition period. It covers trade regulations, ownership of companies, business travel and entry requirements, recognition of professional qualifications, and GDPR.

Switzerland company registration
Comprehensive guide produced by Healy Consultants explaining company structures and business entity types, fees and timelines for incorporation, accounting and tax in this jurisdiction and comparisons with other countries in the region.

Overseas Business Risk - Switzerland
Report from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office looking at potential risks for UK businesses operating in this country. It includes economic and political risks, human rights issues, bribery and corruption, terrorism, intellectual property and organised crime.

Doing Business in Switzerland
Guide prepared by Moore Stephens member firms on doing business with or in this country. It also provides useful information for those living and working in Switzerland either temporarily or permanently. Published in September 2018.

Switzerland: Guide to Doing Business
Guide published by legal firm Lex Mundi in July 2015, providing an overview of the legal and business environment in Switzerland.

Exporting

On our Exporting to Switzerland page you can find export guides, trade forecasts and economic and political updates.

Corporate governance

European Corporate Governance Institute
The European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) aims to provide 'a forum for debate and dialogue between academics, legislators and practitioners, focusing on major corporate governance issues and thereby promoting best practice'. The ECGI website also provides a directory of national Corporate Governance Codes, Principles & Recommendations.

Law and regulation

Doing Business law library
World Bank
Collection of business laws and regulations from economies around the world, linking to official government sources. Topics include company law, labour, tax and trade.

Doing business in… Country Q&A tool
Useful tool from Practical Law that allows users to compare summaries of key legal issues across several jurisdictions, including this country. Summaries cover:

  • the legal system
  • foreign investment
  • business vehicles
  • employment
  • tax
  • competition
  • intellectual property
  • marketing agreements
  • e-commerce
  • data protection
  • product liability.

International debt collection handbook
Detailed guide compiled by Atradius looking at debt collection procedures, legislation and culture across 35 countries, including a profile of this jurisdiction. Profiles include information on the amicable phase, legal procedures, enforcement, insolvency proceedings and arbitration and mediation.

Forums and support networks

British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce
A support network for promoting business and trade between Britain, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Articles and books in the Library collection

Selected books

The Business Operations in... series from Bloomberg BNA provides expert guidance on the tax aspects of expanding and operating businesses abroad.

Business Operations in Switzerland
Analysis of the business environment in Switzerland, focusing on: the economy and government, operating a business, forms of doing business, principal taxes and taxation of domestic corporations.

Find more resources

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports by post or email through our document supply service.

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