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Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech |
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Newsletter
January 25th, 2013
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To whom it may concern
scienceindustries, the Swiss business association of the chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech industries, keeps you informed about the positions of our industry on current economic and societal issues. |
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Energy strategy 2050: unrealistic centrally planned economy instead of market
On December 10, 2012, together with Swissmem scienceindustries rejected at a press conference the package of measures to the Energy Strategy 2050 proposed by the Federal Council. It does not meet the needs of the industry with regard to a secure supply of electricity and the competitiveness of electricity rates. The Ecoplan expert report commissioned by the Federal Council makes such unrealistic assumptions (international harmonized energy transition, exemption clauses for the entire industry), that it is unsuitable to evaluate the economic costs of an energy transition in the Swiss solo effort. The available studies show rather a plan credibility that is alien to market economy and resists facts than an objective analysis of economic costs. In addition, the new energy policy lacks a direct democratic legitimation. scienceindustries demands that politics provide a total energy strategy that is realistic and can be implemented without supply shortages and without undue burdens for the economy. |
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Partial revision of the Therapeutic Products Act is in need of correction
The text of the partial revision of the Therapeutic Products Act (HMG) adopted by the Federal Council on November 7, 2012, provides improvements in addition to reforms to be viewed critically. For one, the measures planned in patent law and as first applicant protection are no incentives for the development of special drug forms for children and for therapies of orphan diseases. Secondly, the reform planned for the ban of "monetary benefits" is problematic because it provides for regulatory interference with competition on the therapeutic products market, which is incompatible with the health safety purpose of the HMG. In this case and in other critical proposals for revision, scienceindustries will advocate the necessary improvement of the HMG proposal.
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Workable amendment of the Water Protection Act is needed
The revised Water Protection Act with regard to special financing of future expansions of waste water treatment plants to eliminate micropollutants should become effective on January 1, 2015. scienceindustries rejected the proposal in the hearing because it is not practical, disproportional and it is not internationally harmonized. The text is expected early 2013. In addition, it is expected that broad segments of society want to regulate more strictly so-called "unregulated foreign substances" in groundwater. In light of today's precise analytics, this could involve the entire range of industrial activities of our industry and it could have economic effects that are difficult to estimate. Therefore, scienceindustries will monitor this legislation closely.
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Education Research Innovation: no redistribution of resources to benefit energy research
Within the framework of the Education Research Innovation (BFI) text 2013-2016, the Councils of the Swiss Confederation have increased funding for education, research and innovation by an additional 157 million Swiss Francs for the Swiss universities of applied sciences, the cantonal universities and the advanced technical colleges upon the recommendation of scienceindustries. To implement the Energy Strategy 2050, the Federal Council will now want to use for energy research approximately 60 million Swiss Francs of these additional funds approved by the Parliament. scienceindustries heavily objects this intention to the disadvantage of other research areas, which ignores the autonomy of the institutions of higher education.
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scienceindustries joined the Swiss Energy Agency of Industry
In the beginning of 2013, scienceindustries joined the Swiss Energy Agency of Industry, EnAW. Over the past years, the EnAW has evolved into a helpful partner for the implementation of an economic climate protection and improved energy efficiency for many companies. Member companies of scienceindustries with energy costs in excess of CHF 2.5 million per year and which cooperate with EnAW receive a 30% discount on their EnAW membership fee effective immediately.
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No to the Minder-Initiative and Yes to the counter-proposal
scienceindustries rejects the Minder-Initiative and advocates the counter-proposal. The initiative endangers the research and production location Switzerland. It risks workplaces and increases the costs and bureaucracy for companies and pension funds. The initiative limits businesses in their capacity to act and in terms of regulating the stock corporation law it largely oversteps the boundaries of all other relevant countries. It makes the Swiss Corporate Law to the most rigid in the world. With a No to the Minder-Initiative, the vastly supported counter-proposal of the Parliament becomes effective.
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Would you like to know more about our positions, or do you have any questions? If so, please contact our experts at scienceindustries.
Kind regards
scienceindustries
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sig. Dr. Beat Moser
Director |
sig. Marcel Sennhauser
Communication |
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