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Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech |
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Newsletter
January 27th, 2016
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To whom it may concern
scienceindustries, the Swiss Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech, keeps you informed about our industry's standpoints on current politico-economic and social topics. |
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scienceindustries supports the proposal of the Swiss Federal Council for the implementation of Art. 121a BV (the mass immigration initiative)
Before the end of 2015, the Swiss Federal Council presented its key figures for the implementation of the mass immigration initiative in Art. 121a BV and recognised that industry needs as long a period as possible of certainty with regard to planning and the legal position. Essentially, the implementation of Art. 121a BV will be based upon a protective clause approach, as had already been proposed by industry. In addition, the Federal Council will use the latitude that already exists within the Swiss law on Foreign Nationals, e.g. in relation to cross-border workers and short-term residents. scienceindustries welcomes this proposal unequivocally as it gives rise to hope for the continuation of the bilateral agreements. The major business significance of the bilateral agreements is once again confirmed by two studies published simultaneously on behalf of the Federation.
The message anticipated for the first quarter is expected to ask for the ratification of the protocol relating to Croatia as well as the protective clause approach; this is intended to make it possible for the research collaboration (Horizon 2020) to continue beyond 2017.
During 2016, the political forces must be able to work out a commercially acceptable solution that will be as compatible with Europe as possible by February 2017. The primary goal must be to maintain the competitive ability of the companies and of our location.
In its position paper, scienceindustries formulates its "Requirements for Swiss policy towards Europe" and also takes a position on the implementation of Art. 121a BV.
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Corporate tax reforms III with the central balancing elements: a patent box and supplementary optional direct input support for R+D on the Cantonal level
As demanded by scienceindustries, the Swiss Federal Council and the Parliament took up this matter quickly. The proposal contains the balancing elements that are crucial for our industry: a patent box and associated supplementary optional direct input support for R+D on the Cantonal level. As part of the parliamentary consultation, scienceindustries advocates for the patent box to be set out in the ordinance in a form that would be compatible internationally but as broad as possible regarding the qualifying protective rights. The current discussions within the OECD are running contrary to this intention and may cause the patent box to become a transitional measure. |
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Popular initiative on the "Green economy" - persuasion effort will be needed from industry
Thanks to intensive efforts on the part of industry, the Swiss Council of States did not support the counter proposal to the "Green economy" initiative in the 2015 winter session. This means that the electorate will only have to take a position on the "Green economy" initiative, as scienceindustries had demanded from the beginning. In relation to the vote taking place in 2016, industry needs to better demonstrate to Swiss voters the voluntary efforts it has made to date in the area of sustainability, so that the popular initiative is massively rejected. In its dealings with the federal authorities, scienceindustries will pay strict attention to ensuring that the activities of the Administration (including the Green Economy action plan) are not implemented any further (and certainly not extended) in the absence of any statutory basis.
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Discussions about additional measures for transporting chlorine by rail must be open-ended
A project study carried out by the federal authorities, industry, the Cantons and the SBB worked out scenarios for ways in which the conflict that looms in the longer term between planning for land use and the transportation of chlorine can be alleviated or avoided. The clarification of the problem of chlorine transportation on Lake Geneva should be regarded as providing the model for the transportation of other critical materials. An overall solution is expected by the second quarter of 2016, whereby a variety of measures will be examined, e.g.:
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Additional protective measures along railway lines, as a supplement in agglomeration projects |
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The procurement of chlorine from Italy as a supplement to procurement from France |
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On-site production in the Valais region, as long as this is commercially viable and produces an easing of the financial burden on the companies by the beneficiaries of such a solution. |
The first risk-limiting improvements have been put in place on the affected sections of track from the change of timetable at the end of 2015, i.e. the circumnavigation of the goods station at La Praille in Geneva and a reduction in the maximum permitted speed to 40km/hr.
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REACH not to be implemented in Switzerland - interests represented successfully by scienceindustries
In the autumn of 2015, the Swiss Federal Council decided that it would not take up negotiations with the EU in relation to the chemical sector (REACH). This complies with a significant demand made by scienceindustries. Instead, the Federal Council will, by the end of 2017, now clarify how the Swiss law on chemicals can be developed so that the authorities' level of knowledge of marketable chemical materials can be improved and any information gaps can be filled. In particular, the Federal Council requires the early inclusion of the affected industries in relation to the preparation of these provisions. scienceindustries will take on the leadership and coordination of the affected business area.
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Pharma Codes - greater transparency in payments between pharma companies and health service providers
From 30th June 2016 at the latest, over 50 pharma companies operating in Switzerland will publish on their web sites their payments for consultancy and other services to other service providers in the healthcare sector. This "transparency initiative" was instigated by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). As a result, contributions for training costs in connection with conferences or other specialist events will now also become transparent. The Secretariat of the Codes at scienceindustries is responsible for monitoring the Pharma Cooperation Code in Switzerland.
More information: www.scienceindustries.ch/pcc
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Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland judgement on the model for determining the prices for medicines
On 14th December 2015, the Federal Supreme Court reached a judgement that established principles for the determination of prices for medicines, as part of the three-yearly review, and confirmed the landmark judgement of the Swiss Federal Administrative Court regarding the same subject on 30th April 2015. In its judgement, the Federal Supreme Court reprimanded the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) for violating the applicable law in its pricing review. The Swiss federal law on health insurance (KVG) requires that the prices of medicines should be established on the basis of a comparison of benefits as well as a comparison of prices in other countries. This not only applies when a medicine is first accepted onto the list of medications covered by health insurance (SL), but also for subsequent price reviews. A comparison of benefits implies that the price or price/performance ratio of the medicine under review is to be measured against comparable competing products.
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New contribution system for scienceindustries from 2017
The contribution system for scienceindustries originated in 1953 and is heavily based on member's exports. This system is to be replaced at the 2016 General Meeting by a new version, which will be introduced from 2017. The new contribution system will no longer be based mainly on member's exports, but on the total AHV wage bill (OASI) over the previous year, as an indicator of the total value added generated in Switzerland. In view of the increasing internationalisation of the net value added chain, exports have been pushed further and further away from their original function as an indicator of value creation, creating greater imbalances. Taking the AHV wage bill as the basis will mean that the new system for subscriptions will once again focus on the total value added generated in Switzerland. The Board has decided to introduce the new system in stages over five years (2017 - 2021).
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Would you like to know more about our standpoints, or ask any questions? If so, please follow us on Twitter or contact our subject specialists at scienceindustries.
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sig. Dr. Beat Moser
Director |
sig. Marcel Sennhauser
Head of Communications |
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