Less than a decade ago, Switzerland imposed strict rules on which products can use the Swiss cross as a ‘Made in Switzerland’ label. Now, a case involving footwear manufacturer On has led to a loosening of these rules. The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) announced a “clarification of practice” at the end of March. The brief statement was explosive. From now on, products can also be marketed with the Swiss cross even if a significant portion of production does not take place in Switzerland. What is the value of the Swiss cross? The government’s standard calculation for the value of the “Swiss Made” label is as follows: Switzerland generates 1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) thanks to the good reputation of its production base. “This value equates to around CHF7 billion [$9 billion] today,” the IPI told Swissinfo, adding that the Swiss cross generates this value because customers are willing to pay more for products labelled “Made in Switzerland”. This …