ZURICH, April 17 (Reuters) – The Swiss finance minister said
on Wednesday that she wanted all countries to be treated equally
in a drive to stamp out tax evasion, addressing concerns that
Swiss banks had been unfairly singled out in recent years.

“We consider it very important that rules must apply to all
and are engaging ourselves for a level playing field in
multilateral forums,” Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf told Reuters in
written responses to emailed questions.

ZURICH, April 17 (Reuters) – The Swiss government is
considering a possible solution to a long-running dispute with
U.S. authorities over Swiss banks accused of helping wealthy
Americans evade billions of dollars of tax.

A source familiar with the talks has told Reuters the two
sides have agreed an outline for a deal that would divide over
300 Swiss banks according to the extent they had helped U.S.
clients hide money, to determine how they are dealt with.

ZURICH, April 9 (Reuters) – Swiss inflation was weaker than
expected in March, data showed on Tuesday, underlining the
central bank’s view that it needs to maintain the lid it has
imposed on the strong franc.

Prices fell 0.6 percent from a year ago and rose 0.2 percent
from the previous month, the Federal Statistics Office said.
Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast prices to fall 0.5
percent year-on-year and rise 0.3 percent month-on-month.

ZURICH (Reuters) – Syngenta and Bayer, top producers of the pesticides blamed for a sharp fall in bee populations around the world, have proposed a plan to support bee health to try to forestall a European Union ban on the products.

EU governments failed this month to agree a ban on three widely used pesticides linked to the decline of honeybees, although the European Commission could force one through unless member states agree a compromise.