The Hindu Business Line : Swiss investment promotion body woos Indian companies

“We think we have lot of advantages such as political stability, flexible labour market, reasonable regulations and a very favourable tax environment.”

K.R. Srivats

New Delhi, Dec. 17 Switzerland could serve as a base for Indian companies that want to sell products and services into European markets and establish strong contacts with that market, Ms Beatrice Maser Mallor, Head, LOCATION Switzerland, has suggested. LOCATION Switzerland is an initiative of the Swiss Federal Government for promoting the country as a place to do business.

This agency informs potential investors all over the world about the advantages and benefits that Switzerland offers as a business location. Ms Mallor highlighted that Switzerland has integrated into Europe through bilateral agreements and that Indian companies could take advantage of them by establishing presence in that country.

Country’s advantages

“We think we have lot of advantages such as political stability, flexible labour market, reasonable regulations, strong relations with the EU and very favourable tax environment. We are trying to preserve that and even improve it,” she said.

Ms Mallor sees more Indian companies coming into Switzerland as they expand their footprint abroad. On whether LOCATION Switzerland was trying to target companies in specific sectors, Ms Mallor said that it was not trying to target any specific sector. She, however, pointed out that Switzerland was not a right place for high volume manufacturing even while highlighting that it could be an ideal location for sectors such as life sciences, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and information technology. Meanwhile, Ms Sheena Bethell, a business consultant representing BaselArea, highlighted that different Cantons in Switzerland were working hard to revise their tax regimes and liberalise tax rates. There are 26 different Cantons in Switzerland and, therefore, 26 taxation regimes.

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