Statistical Country Profiles: Switzerland.
https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/statistics/country_profile/profile.jsp?code=CH
Background
The diversity of national systems and the reluctance on the part of practitioners, national administrations and judiciaries to unify procedures may in the medium or long run lead to disguised trade barriers if the specificity of each national system is retained solely for the sake of sovereignty. However, users do generally not oppose the harmonization of rules implying a reduction of costs and expenses − on the contrary. The transnational flow of products and services increases with globalization and the rise of newly independent States. At the same time, there has been a considerable increase in innovation and use of names and brands to distinguish the products of one enterprise from those of another. It became urgent to have more harmonized rules on the acquisition and maintenance of IPRs which would at the same time reduce the costs of obtaining and maintaining protection. The 1960s and 70s saw a number of decisive moves to accelerate the pace of harmonization. The pace has since accelerated further.