USA and Switzerland sign enhanced Open Skies Transport Agreement

Officials of the United States and Switzerland have signed an enhanced Open Skies Air Transport Agreement, replacing the previous agreement signed in 1995. The new agreement entered into force upon signature. The new agreement includes all of the essential elements of Open Skies and adds the right for airlines of both countries to operate all-cargo flights to third countries without a connection to the home country (“7th freedom rights”). In addition, the new agreement permits Swiss airlines to be owned and controlled by nationals of any member state of the European Union and extends to Swiss airlines the opportunity to compete under the “Fly America Act” for certain U.S. government civilian agency-funded passenger and cargo traffic between the United States and Switzerland and between non-U.S. points.

Source: travelpulse; find article here>>.

Belgium sued Switzerland before International Court of Justice

Belgium took Switzerland to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The dispute concerning the interpretation and application of the Lugano Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters has arisen out of the pursuit of parallel judicial proceedings in Belgium and Switzerland in respect of the civil and commercial dispute between the main shareholders in Sabena, the former Belgian airline now in bankruptcy.

Belgium claims that Swiss courts, including in particular the Federal Supreme Court, have refused to recognize the future Belgian decisions on the civil liability of the Swiss shareholders or to stay their proceedings pending the outcome of the Belgian proceedings. According to Belgium, these refusals violate various provisions of the Lugano Convention.

Source: ICJ press release 2009/36

Switzerland: "death tourism" unwanted

Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf says she would like to put a stop to the practice of people travelling to Switzerland to die. Swiss law tolerates assisted suicide when the patient commits the act and the helper has no direct interest. Several organisations offer the service, but only one group to foreigners.

The minister would like to introduce a period of reflection between the first contact made with an organisation and an assisted suicide. During this time the person would undergo counselling from the organisation or third party.

Source: swissinfo.ch; full article here>>.

World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Report Highlights the Importance of Environmental Sustainability

Switzerland, Austria and Germany have the most attractive environments for developing the travel and tourism industry, according to the second annual Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, released today by the World Economic Forum. Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Sweden, Canada and France complete the top-10 list. The rankings cover 130 countries around the world.
Improvements have been made to the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) this year. The “environmental regulation” pillar has been revised and improved as well as being re-named the “environmental sustainability” pillar to better reflect its components and to capture the increasingly recognized importance of sustainability in the sector’s development.
The TTCI measures the factors and policies that make it attractive to develop the T&T sector in different countries. It is composed of 14 pillars of travel and tourism competitiveness:

1. Policy rules and regulations
2. Environmental sustainability
3. Safety and security
4. Health and hygiene
5. Prioritization of travel and tourism
6. Air transport infrastructure
7. Ground transport infrastructure
8. Tourism infrastructure
9. Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure
10. Price competitiveness
11. Human capital
12. Affinity for travel & tourism
13. Natural resources
14. Cultural resources

This cross-country analysis of the drivers of competitiveness in travel and tourism provides useful comparative information for making business decisions and additional value to governments wishing to improve their travel and tourism environments.

Source: World Economic Forum; read full press release here.

Note that "Policy rules and regulations" is regarded the first pillar - thus in my opinion emphasising the importance of a legal frame i.e. travel and tourism law.

Sweden: airline offers fingerprint check-In for domestic flights

No ID? No problem. In Sweden, all the identification you need to board an airplane is now at your fingertips—literally. Scandinavian Airlines Sweden (SAS) now allows travelers with luggage to board domestic flights by providing a scan of their index fingerprint.
The system is designed to address a European Union aviation security regulation requiring passengers who check baggage for a flight to be matched with their bags again when they board the plane. Passengers who opt to use the new biometric check-in system will scan their index finger as they drop off their baggage, and again at the gate. The two fingerprints are compared to confirm a passenger's identity, and no other ID is required.

Source: eTurboNews; read full article here.

Switzerland joins European Aviation Safety Agency

Switzerland today officially became a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency. It is the fourth non-EU country to adopt European Union aviation safety legislation after Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Patrick Goudou, Executive Director of the Agency, said: “I welcome Switzerland’s membership. It is an important step towards a more integrated safety system in Europe and underlines the key role of the Agency in this system”.

The four non-EU countries are represented in the Agency’s Management Board and nationals of these countries are eligible to work for the Agency.

Source: EASA-Press release 2006-11-30.

Switzerland joins European Aviation Safety Agency

Switzerland today officially became a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency. It is the fourth non-EU country to adopt European Union aviation safety legislation after Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Patrick Goudou, Executive Director of the Agency, said: “I welcome Switzerland’s membership. It is an important step towards a more integrated safety system in Europe and underlines the key role of the Agency in this system”. The four non-EU countries are represented in the Agency’s Management Board and nationals of these countries are eligible to work for the Agency.
Source: EASA-Press release 2006-11-30

(Originally posted by Michael Wukoschitz)

Switzerland joins European Aviation Safety Agency

Switzerland today officially became a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency. It is the fourth non-EU country to adopt European Union aviation safety legislation after Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Patrick Goudou, Executive Director of the Agency, said: “I welcome Switzerland’s membership. It is an important step towards a more integrated safety system in Europe and underlines the key role of the Agency in this system”. The four non-EU countries are represented in the Agency’s Management Board and nationals of these countries are eligible to work for the Agency.
Source: EASA-Press release 2006-11-30

(Originally posted by Michael Wukoschitz)

Offer of Compensation

Swissair and Boeing have offered compensation to relatives of the 229 people who died after their flight was lost off the coast of Nova Scotia (Canada) in September 1998. The offer was made in a pre-trial meeting in a Philadelphia federal court. As part of the deal, the relatives would have to waive their "16bn (£10bn) claim for punitive damages. The companies have stressed that this does not amount to an admission of guilt. The case is due for its next hearing on 13 September.

(Originally posted by John Downes)