Controversial stimulus measure – the abolition of import duties pushes to reflect the state of the Federal Council, the duties will emphasize on industrial goods. This is an important sign in the Corona-crisis, says a concerned entrepreneur. The farmers, the SP and the Greens are against – for very different reasons.Dominik Feusi0 comment Eder, the Federal Council wishes to remove customs duties on industrial goods, including shoes,. But from left to right, there is Opposition. Photo: Goran Basic (Keystone)
The Federal Council, the duties will emphasize on industrial goods, which are incurred when importing to Switzerland. It is the first major political-economic business of Federal councillor Guy Parmelin, which comes to the Parliament. The idea comes from the time in front of Corona, but he calls the style a “stroke of luck”.
The SP rejects the template. The business associations are in favour of both those of the affected industries, as well as their umbrella organisations. The bourgeois parties in principle, but there begins the Problem. The removal of industrial tariffs deprives the Federal budget of around half a billion Swiss francs. And relieves the Import still low. Half of the duties paid on the Import of textiles, clothing and footwear.
These goods are taxed at a rate of 4 to 6 percent; this amount could clothes are cheaper. In the case of other industrial goods, there are on average 1.8 percent. This is not much, even if it is calculated as the Federal Council of 100 million Swiss francs in administrative costs, which would be eliminated in the economy. A federally ordered study on economic Benefits of the abolition of 860 million Swiss francs per year.
“Important characters”
“The removal of industrial tariffs alone is not a matter of survival,” says Philip Mosimann, “but they have improved the framework conditions for industry and trade in a sustainable way.” Mosimann, President of the Board of Bucher Industries, an international machine manufacturer from Niederweningen in Zurich, Switzerland has a workforce of around a thousand employees.
“It is an important sign of the policy for the location of Switzerland and its employees in a difficult time.” Especially for smaller and medium-sized enterprises, the administrative costs may be a considerable expense, the narrower the margin, and competition hinders, finds Mosimann.
“Who wants to do something for the jobs in Switzerland, needs to do a lot of small steps.”
Philip Mosimann, Chairman of the Board, Bucher Industries AG,
And what he says to the Argument that the template is only a little use? “It is the Problem of the policy, that it is only small steps for the site improvement and these are then tackled, because there are only small steps,” says Mosimann. “Who wants to do something for jobs in Switzerland, as do many such small steps.”
“demonstration of power to the Federal Council”
The farmers are against the bill, although agricultural goods are not affected. “The Opposition of the farmers Association is a pure demonstration of power to the Federal Council,” says Mosimann. “The Association officials want to prove that against their will to the duties, nothing is changed.”
Markus Ritter, President of the farmers ‘ Association, disagrees. A unilateral tariff reduction is strategically wrong: “So that Switzerland allocates much room for negotiation in upcoming free trade negotiations.” The elimination of industrial tariffs would tear also a hole of 540 million Swiss francs in the Federal Treasury. This is due to the loss of Revenue by the Corona-crisis money that would be saved, for example, in the case of agriculture.
The consumer protection organisations are divided. The Foundation for consumer protection fears that the elimination of tariffs is not passed on to the consumers. Federal councillor Guy Parmelin promises to follow this up with a Monitoring. The recently founded Association Vision consumer supports the template, as President and national councillor Daniela Schneeberger says: “the purchasing power and the competition will be strengthened.” The measure serve the company, and was important for industry jobs.
“abolition would be a missed opportunity.”
Franziska Ryser, national councillor Green (SG),
Green and green-liberal want with the duties of the climate-damaging products are taxed. The Greens do not want to enter on the template and you have appropriate proposals already, as Franziska Ryser, St. Gallen, national councillor, confirmed. “Abolition would be a missed opportunity,” she says. The green-liberals want to Vice versa, enter on the template, and then environmental concerns bring.
It is just for Parmelin
If the SP and the greens vote against the cancellation and the farmers can gain a couple of Councillors from the CVP, the FDP and the SVP on your page, then it will be a close one. The SVP discussed sessions was the presentation to three Group, and yet there could be some dissenters from the official position. Guy Parmelin, itself originally a farmer, is well aware of this.
Philip Mosimann think it would be a shame. Switzerland would show with the deletion, that it was an open country and on customs duties waivers for which there is no permission any more, he says. “This strengthens our international credibility in negotiations with our trading partners, through a strengthening of world trade.” However, whether a majority of the national Council of the world wants to strengthen trade, in fact, is questionable.
comments please Log in to comment
