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Switzerland Ranks 2^nd in 2006 Globalization Index

Up from 3^rd in 2005

NEW YORK, November 16 – Switzerland ranks 2^nd, only after Singapore, in the 2006 Foreign Policy Magazine/A.T. Kearney Globalization Index, reports Mario Brossi of the Swiss Foreign Investment Agency Location: Switzerland. The index is built by examining several indicators spanning trade, business, politics, and information technology across 62 countries (www.foreignpolicy.com).

“The 2006 index moves us up from 3^rd place in previous rankings, and is the latest in good news about Switzerland’s continuing excellent performance in key global indicators,” Mr. Brossi said. “For example the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2006-2007 ranks the country in first place among 125 economies, up from fourth place in the previous report.

“In another ranking compiled by the World Bank Group and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Switzerland ranked 7^th among the top 10 countries and 2^nd in Europe where it is easiest to pay taxes,” Mr. Brossi said. “The studies showed that it takes an average of 68 hours for a business to comply with tax requirements in Switzerland as opposed to 325 in the U.S.”

Investments and expansions of North American companies in Switzerland continue to be substantial, Mr. Brossi said. “Clearly, the business-friendly tax regime when coupled with a well-educated multilingual workforce, high productivity, an excellent business infrastructure and our ranking in key indicators are instrumental in our ability to attract investments from North America and elsewhere in the world,” he commented.

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Contact: John Williamson 908 730-9622 or johnhwilliamson@earthlink.net