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With the Ukraine war, fuel prices have also risen in Switzerland. The SVP would therefore like to relieve households and the economy with various measures. The Council of States rejects all proposals.
Companies, but also private households feel the higher prices. The SVP therefore proposes that the Federal Council put together a package. The various proposals range from tax relief on motor fuels to a larger deduction in the tax return for people with a professional car. The SVP also put the temporary reduction in the obligation to compensate for CO₂ and VAT on motor fuels up for debate.
SVP President and Ticino Councilor of States Marco Chiesa explains: “Each tank filling costs around 30 francs more. Many people who depend on a car sometimes pay several hundred francs more for their mobility. This particularly affects commuters, families, households, the rural population and businesses.”
Equal treatment with public transport required
Hansjörg Knecht, his party colleague from the canton of Aargau, added: “Such relief is also a requirement of fairness. Because it is precisely in this area that public and private transport are treated equally in times of crisis.”
In doing so, he reminded that the federal government had covered the shortfall in public transport revenue during the corona crisis. However, the SVP’s various relief proposals were not well received.
For Adèle Thorens Goumaz, they contradict Swiss climate policy. You reject such watering can money, so the Vaud Greens. Instead, targeted measures are needed for disadvantaged households.
Don’t isolate Switzerland from the outside world
The left had already criticized in advance that such relief would be tantamount to a subsidy for fossil fuels and would primarily benefit the oil companies. In fact, Avenergy, the association of heating oil and fuel importers, had spoken out in favor of the relief proposals. They counteract the tank and shopping tourism, the association wrote a few days ago. But not only the left opposed in the Council of States, also the center and the FDP were against these ideas.
The Zurich FDP Council of States Ruedi Noser, for example, was bothered by the image behind the advances. “Switzerland is a biosphere 2, completely sealed off from the world, and our state can protect every citizen in our country from external influences.” That is simply not possible and overwhelms the state. The crisis is likely to continue and drive up further prices.
National Council on Thursday on the train
Finance Minister Ueli Maurer also argued with a view to the long-term perspective: “From the point of view of the Federal Council, it is not appropriate to shoot the powder in these first few days, which, by the way, is not available at all. So we need an overall analysis, an overall view of things and then have to decide whether and what is necessary.”
However, he assured that the concerns about rising prices would be taken seriously. And he referred to an interdepartmental working group. This would examine possible measures with a view to the economic effects of the Ukraine war on Switzerland.
The Council of States rejects the SVP’s proposals. Nevertheless, they are not off the table. Because there are identical motions in the National Council that are on the agenda on Thursday.