The industry association

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The chemical companies of Basel organised their common interests in an industry association, founded in 1882 as the Swiss Society of Chemical Industries, today scienceindustries, the business association of the Swiss chemical, pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.¹ The association represented the industry in the debates on patent law, customs tariffs, trade agreements, environmental regulation and labour law, negotiating with the authorities and with foreign industry associations.

The influence of the chemical industry on Swiss economic policy was considerable. The industry was one of the largest exporters of the country. Its companies were among the largest employers and taxpayers, with leaders who had close relationships with the federal government and administration. Its opposition delayed the introduction of patent protection for chemical processes until 1907 and for chemical products until 1978. Its interests shaped the Swiss positions in trade negotiations, from the bilateral trade treaties of the nineteenth century to the negotiations of the World Trade Organization on intellectual property in the 1990s. And its concerns about the competitiveness of Switzerland shaped the debates on corporate taxation, which Part G examines.

Notes

On the Swiss Society of Chemical Industries (Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Chemische Industrie, SGCI), founded in 1882, today scienceindustries, see its publications. To be verified. ↩

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of August 2025.

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Dr Alexander Ressos, TEP

Rechtsanwalt/Attorney-at-Law

I am a Swiss attorney-at-law and also admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in England & Wales, with almost 25 years of experience.

Together with my multilingual team, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian and French native speakers, I advise companies and their owners from around the world on the full range of banking, corporate, commercial and tax law matters in Switzerland, including international tax planning, fiduciary services, and legal family office services including immigration & relocation or real estate investments. My practice has a particular focus on clients from growth and frontier markets in Greater China, Central Asia and the Caucasus, the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and I equally advise clients from Europe and North America. Through an affiliated Swiss trust company, we also take care of the incorporation and ongoing administration of their companies and other structures, including accounting, tax returns and corporate secretarial services, and I serve as a professional director where required. With the support of a network of first-class cooperation partners, I also implement solutions worldwide.

My approach is to act as a trusted advisor who works directly with decision-makers, on an equal footing: I start from what you want to achieve and shape every structure, contract and tax decision around your commercial goals and how it improves your after-tax return. As “lawyers who make it happen”, my team and I stay involved until your company is set up, your structure is in place and your transaction has closed, and we remain available for any follow-on work that may be required. You benefit from bespoke solutions and personal attention, and sound, friendly and practical advice. We are not the lowest-cost provider in the market, nor do we intend to be; our aim is to deliver well-founded, proper solutions and excellent value for money.

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The industry association

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?