Jean-Pierre Roth: Switzerland - a platform for global business
Summary of a speech by Mr Jean-Pierre Roth, Chairman of the Governing Board of the
Swiss National Bank and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International
Settlements, at the Forum de l'Economie vaudoise, Lausanne, 14 September 2007.
The complete speech can be found in French on the Swiss National Bank's website (www.snb.ch).
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Within the past ten years, Switzerland has become a genuine platform for global economic
operations. From here, the international markets are being worked systematically, and an
ever-growing part of our economic performance is now attributable to investment activity
abroad. This is a welcome development since it allows us to keep high value-added jobs in
Switzerland. However, it also involves some risk because the international mobility of
production has increased. Consequently, the general conditions which help to keep
Switzerland attractive as a business location must be maintained.
This platform for global economic operations has given us a role outside the European Union
and the euro area. Thus we have chosen to face the challenge of globalisation instead of the
challenge of European integration. Our path may be demanding, but it is also promising!