The proposed ideas cover a broad spectrum : freedom for employees to choose the pension fund that best meets their needs ; a voluntary levy for companies hiring new people from abroad to help harness domestic labour resources more effectively ; an energy fund financed by the cantons to ensure more effective privatisation ; a new category of share rewarding loyal investors; replacing compulsory military service with general community service in response to more unfair conscription and people’s growing unwillingness to volunteer for public duty ; and greater cost transparency in transport for environmental, urban development and financial reasons.
The aim of the authors, all project managers at Avenir Suisse, is to contribute liberal ideas to help ensure that Switzerland continues to be an attractive place to live and do business in the future. Rather than being a fully-fledged programme of detailed reforms, these proposals are designed to stimulate broad, open debate across all political divides. The hope is that these ideas will be discussed and refined so that Switzerland doesn’t assume that its comparatively good position means it can get away with making only the most necessary repairs.
