Switzerland

Swiss GDP per capita stands amongst the top OECD performers. However, to face medium-term challenges productivity developments will be key to allow the country to maintain its enviable position. Recent trends have not been favourable, with productivity growth underperforming peer countries. Based on macroeconomic analysis and supported by firm-level data, results point to a significant role for competition, innovation, education, firm characteristics and entrepreneurship. The regulatory environment is a crucial element driving productivity and could explain some of the differences across cantons. It is also an important factor for productivity differences across sectors. Other issues weighing on Switzerland’s future performance include risks from ageing, which can have major consequences on productivity via its influence on economic sectors and also via the age structure and the evolution of productivity through working life. Fully utilising the potential of underrepresented population segments would also be beneficial, notably encouraging full-time participation of women and better integrating immigrants. More enterprise creation could be achieved with increased entrepreneurship education, expanded non-bank financing and a reduced regulatory burden. R&D, while an obvious success in Switzerland, has apparently not produced commensurate returns in output. Diversification, more knowledge sharing, a stronger role for higher education institutions and promotion of start-ups would help reinforce the links from R&D to productivity.

This Working Paper relates to the 2017 OECD Economic Survey of Switzerland
(www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/economic-survey-switzerland.htm).

La Svizzera ha fatto dei passi avanti verso il miglioramento delle performance ambientali dei settori agricolo, energetico e dei trasporti. Il Paese si è affermato tra i migliori Paesi dell’OCSE in termini d’intensità delle emissioni di gas serra e può essere lodato per il suo approccio innovativo nella rivitalizzazione della rete idrografica. Tuttavia, si possono constatare anche ambiti problematici, quali le abitudini di consumo non sostenibili, la produzione di un elevato volume di rifiuti urbani e le alte percentuali di specie minacciate. Quale importante piazza finanziaria, la Svizzera gioca un ruolo fondamentale nella promozione della finanza verde.

Questo è il terzo rapporto sulle performance ambientali della Svizzera. Valuta i progressi compiuti verso uno sviluppo sostenibile e una crescita verde, con particolare riferimento alla gestione delle acque come pure alla conservazione e all’uso sostenibile della biodiversità.

Die Schweiz hat Schritte unternommen, um ihre Umweltleistungen im Landwirtschafts-, Energieund Verkehrsbereich zu verbessern. In Bezug auf die Treibhausgasemissionen zählt sie zu den Spitzenreitern unter den OECD-Ländern und sie verdient Anerkennung für ihren innovativen Ansatz zur Revitalisierung ihrer Fliessgewässer. Problematisch sind hingegen nicht nachhaltige Konsummuster und das hohe Siedlungsabfallaufkommen ebenso wie die hohen Anteile von gefährdeten Arten. Als wichtiges Finanzzentrum kommt der Schweiz zudem eine Schlüsselrolle in der Förderung von grünen Investitionen zu. Bei diesem Bericht handelt es sich um den dritten OECD-Prüfbericht für die Schweiz.

Darin werden die Fortschritte in Bezug auf nachhaltige Entwicklung und umweltverträgliches Wachstum bewertet, wobei die Schwerpunkte auf der Wasserbewirtschaftung, der Erhaltung der Artenvielfalt und der nachhaltigen Nutzung von Ökosystemen liegen.

La Suisse a travaillé à l'amélioration de la performance environnementale de l'agriculture, de l'énergie et des transports. Le pays a l'une des plus basses intensités en gaz à effet de serre de l'OCDE, et s'est montré très innovant dans la réhabilitation de ses rivières. Cependant, les pratiques de consommation peu durables de la population et les quantités de déchets urbains qui en découlent, ainsi que le nombre d'espèces menacées , sont préoccupants. En tant que pôle financier, la Suisse a un rôle clé à jouer dans la promotion de la finance verte.

Ce rapport est le troisième examen environnemental de la Suisse. Il évalue ses progrès en matière de développement durable et de croissance verte, avec des chapitres détaillés sur le traitement des eaux  et sur la conservation et l'utilisation durable de la biodiversité.

Switzerland has taken steps to improve the environmental performance of its agricultural, energy and transport sectors. The country is a top OECD performer in terms of greenhouse gas emissions intensity and it should be commended for its innovative approach towards rehabilitation of its river system. Yet unsustainable consumption patterns and high levels of municipal waste generation, as well as high percentages of threatened species, are areas of concern. As a major financial centre, Switzerland has a key role to play in promoting green finance.

This is the third Environmental Performance Review of Switzerland. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with special features on: water management and biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

Switzerland continues to provide its citizens with a high standard of living. The economy has shown considerable resilience, most recently to the exchange rate appreciation in 2015. Nevertheless, growth has been too slow to absorb spare capacity or raise income per capita meaningfully. Unconventional monetary policies have helped return inflation to positive territory, but pose other risks. Fiscal policy is sound, and the federal fiscal rule has helped lower public indebtedness but it implies that spending priorities must be funded from other areas. Labour productivity growth has been falling since the late-1990s to be one-third of the OECD average rate in the past decade. Swiss R&D and innovation are top-ranked but need to be more widespread. Frontier firms’ labour productivity has diverged from the rest. The Swiss education and training system is well regarded and has contributed to high employment rates. However, it is being increasingly challenged by the ever-growing demand for high-skilled workers along with the changing nature of work. Maintaining and raising living standards will require policies to restore productivity growth and ensure that the skills training and lifelong learning system is nimble.

SPECIAL FEATURES: BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY; MEETING SKILLS NEEDS
 

La Suisse continue d'assurer à ses citoyens un niveau de vie élevé. L'économie a montré une résilience considérable, notamment après l'appréciation du franc suisse en 2015. Néanmoins, l'expansion économique n'a pas permis une résorption des capacités inutilisées ou une hausse sensible du revenu par habitant. La politique monétaire non conventionnelle a contribué à ramener l'inflation, mais d'autres risques apparaissent. La politique budgétaire est saine, et la règle budgétaire fédérale a favorisé la réduction de la dette publique, mais les dépenses prioritaires doivent alors être financées par redéploiement. La croissance de la productivité du travail a été ramenée à un tiers du taux de la zone OCDE ces dix dernières années. La R-D et l'innovation suisse, en tête des classements, doivent être plus répandues. La productivité du travail des firmes à la frontière technologique a divergé de celle des autres. Le système d'enseignement et de formation est réputé et a contribué au taux d'emploi élevé. Cependant, il est soumis au défi d'une demande toujours plus forte de travailleurs hautement qualifiés et d'une nature du travail qui évolue. Maintenir et augmenter le niveau de vie demandera des politiques pour remettre la productivité en croissance et assurer l'agilité de la formation professionnelle et du système d'apprentissage tout au long de la vie.

THÈMES SPÉCIAUX : STIMULER LA PRODUCTIVITÉ ; RÉPONDRE AUX BESOINS DE COMPÉTENCES

Under Action 14, countries have committed to implement a minimum standard to strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP). The MAP is included in Article 25 of the OECD Model Tax Convention and commits countries to endeavour to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of tax treaties. The Action 14 Minimum Standard has been translated into specific terms of reference and a methodology for the peer review and monitoring process. The minimum standard is complemented by a set of best practices.

The peer review process is conducted in two stages.  Stage 1 assesses countries against the terms of reference of the minimum standard according to an agreed schedule of review. Stage 2 focuses on monitoring the follow-up of any recommendations resulting from jurisdictions' stage 1 peer review report. This report reflects the outcome of the stage 1 peer review of the implementation of the Action 14 Minimum Standard by Switzerland, which is accompanied by a document addressing the implementation of best practices.

Cette base de données annuelles couvre un large éventail de statistiques sur le commerce international des pays de l'OCDE. Elle constitue une source fiable de données en valeur par produit et par pays partenaire. Chacun des cinq premiers volumes des Statistiques du commerce international par produit présente les statistiques relatives à six pays, celles-ci étant publiées dès réception des données. Le sixième volume porte sur les pays restants et sur les deux groupements ; Total-OCDE et UE28-Extra.

Pour chaque pays sont présentés des tableaux se référant aux sections et divisions de la classification Système Harmonisé SH 2012, (une et deux positions). Chaque tableau permet de visualiser à la fois les importations et les exportations des cinq années les plus récentes par produit pour plus de soixante-dix pays partenaires ou groupes de pays partenaires.

This reliable source of yearly data covers a wide range of statistics on international trade of OECD countries and provides detailed data in value by commodity and by partner country. Each of the first five volumes of International Trade by Commodity Statistics contains the tables for six countries, published in the order in which they become available. The sixth volume also includes the groupings OECD Total and EU28-Extra.

For each country, this publication shows detailed tables relating to the Harmonised System HS 2012 classification, Sections and Divisions (one- and two- digit). Each table presents imports and exports of a given commodity with more than seventy partner countries or country groupings for the most recent five-year period available.