Author: Andreas R. Bihrer

Legal Aspects of Coronavirus in Switzerland IV – The Walk into Uncertainty

The Coronavirus currently has our whole life in a stranglehold and affects our everyday life. This not only from a medical or economic point of view, but also from a legal point of view. As this situation is likely to continue for some time and the economic consequences are difficult to assess at present, companies and entrepreneurs should start thinking today about how their companies can cope with the crisis in the longer term. What is certain is that there will be life after COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to survive the time until then as unscathed as possible.

Legal Aspects of Coronavirus in Switzerland III – Update on Assembly Ban

About two weeks ago, still at the beginning of the outbreak of the corona virus in Switzerland, we already reported on the difficulties for companies to hold a general meeting at these times and during the then newly imposed ban on meetings. In the meantime, the situation has changed drastically. In this update, we cover the newly imposed measures of the Swiss Federal Council and specially the Ordinance 2 on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus of 16 March 2020 (COVID-19 Ordinance 2), which allows company to hold their general meetings.

Legal Aspects of Coronavirus in Switzerland I – Assembly Ban

Last week Switzerland reported the first cases of the Coronavirus in Switzerland. To stem the spread of the virus in Switzerland, the Swiss Confederation has issued beside other measures a ban on gatherings of over 1000 people within Switzerland. The ban is initially valid until 15 March 2020. Under the same ban, the city of Chur has issued an even more restrictive ban for gatherings of over 50 people, which does restrict the everyday life even more.

In the following, we would like to highlight the consequences of such assembly ban for companies intending to convene a general meeting. Even if at the moment only large companies might be affected by such ban it is also possible that smaller companies become equally affected if such ban should be strengthened.