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  Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech
 
Newsletter
July 15th, 2015
    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.
 
 
Topics
in this Issue
   
European policy: Implementation of the mass immigration initiative with protection clause  
 
EU/USA Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement (TTIP): Risk of discrimination in product regulations  
 
Energy Strategy 2050 – Every tenth of a cent is one too many for industry  
 
"Green economy" – Inefficient proposal damages Switzerland's position as a business location  
 
Climate and energy control systems: resource-oriented levies must be rejected  
 
New price-setting model for medicines presents a challenge to pharmaceutical companies  
 
We must be able to carry on transporting chlorine by rail in Switzerland  
 
Recording of working time: solution approach using works agreements or individual employment contracts  
 
New "Pflanzenschützer.ch" website and new fact sheets on plant protection  
 
Dr Matthias Leuenberger elected as the new Vice President of scienceindustries  

 
 
      European policy: Implementation of the mass immigration initiative with protection clause

In February 2015 the Swiss Federal Council adopted the draft version of the new legislation on foreign nationals and additional measures to make better use of the potential workforce within Switzerland. At the same time, it also made a final decision on the negotiating mandate with the EU on the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons. scienceindustries took a stand on the issue on the very same day. In particular, it referred to the fact that the Federal Council put forward an implementation model for discussion that the EU is not likely to be able to accept (the key word here would be quotas); it would also not implement the constitutional provision in Art. 121a of the Federal Constitution, as this would require the previous revision of the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, which the EU has strictly vetoed up to now.

In view of the continuing refusal of the EU to negotiate with respect to the Free Movement of Persons, the strategy proposed by the Federal Council boils down to a new referendum to decide whether Art. 121a BV of the Federal Constitution should be enforced with quotas or whether the bilateral agreements with the EU should be retained. In the Swiss consultation on the review of the new legislation on foreign nationals, scienceindustries has once again put the implementation model for an economy with an autonomous protection clause forward for discussion. From the business economy point of view, this approach could induce the EU to negotiate with Switzerland.
 
 
      EU/USA Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement (TTIP): Risk of discrimination in product regulations

The European Union and the United States of America have been negotiating on the "Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)" since the middle of 2013. This agreement is aimed at improving access to the markets on both sides by reducing the level of customs duties, removing non-tariff trade barriers and easing restrictions for services and investments.
Any reductions in customs duties resulting from the WTO Pharmaceuticals Tariff Elimination Agreement and the low level of duties applied in the USA (about 3%) would cause little discrimination within the "chemistry pharma biotech" industry. If the TTIP came into effect, it could lead to a certain amount of discrimination for member companies in terms of product regulations, so scienceindustries is following the negotiations carefully and is endeavouring to use its contacts with sister organisations in the USA and the EU to head off any discrimination. The relevant negotiations should be concluded within a reasonably short period.
 
 
      Energy Strategy 2050 – Every tenth of a cent is one too many for industry

scienceindustries is urging the Council of States to apply a stricter limit to the cost-covering remuneration scheme for renewable energy fed into the electricity grid (KEV) than had been decided by the National Council (e.g. 1.8 rather than 2.3 cents/kWh). In addition, scienceindustries is attempting to accelerate the end of the CED, the cumulated energy demand. It is also fighting against the introduction of a "Wasserrappen"- an additional charge to support large-scale hydroelectric power stations, as this would cause considerable added costs to the production industry. Every increase of one cent in the price of electricity in Switzerland would lead to added costs of CHF 30 million every year in our industry alone, the effect of which would be equivalent to an increase in the total wage bill of 0.5%.
 
 
      "Green economy" – Inefficient proposal damages Switzerland's position as a business location

Twenty-four business associations, prominently featuring scienceindustries, have written a joint letter to the National Council, urging it to forego the proposal completely in view of the current economic situation and the inefficiency of the provisions as envisaged. Unfortunately, the National Council has decided to go along with the President's casting vote, and to concur with the proposal. This business will therefore be discussed once again in the autumn session. scienceindustries will advocate for a further easing of the proposal.
 
 
      Climate and energy control systems: resource-oriented levies must be rejected

During the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) consultation on the transition from a support system to a control system in energy policy, scienceindustries had demanded as far back as 2013 that the aims of the levies should be subject to adequate political legitimacy. In the opinion of scienceindustries, Energy Strategy 2050 continues to lack such political legitimacy, and scienceindustries therefore rejects the new instrumental-oriented constitutional article BV Art. 131a at this stage.
 
 
      New price-setting model for medicines presents a challenge to pharmaceutical companies

The new price-setting model used to establish the prices of medicines was adopted by the Federal Council at the end of April 2015 and will in all probability lead to further price reductions for these medicines, in addition to the considerable price cuts already put in place. The ordinance revisions have been in force since 1 June 2015 and will thus present additional serious challenges to pharmaceutical companies operating within the Swiss market. Through this recent reorganisation, the Federal Council is sending another false signal to the pharma industry, a sector that also covers a large number of group companies and/or corporate units in Switzerland and thus contributes to considerable added value in our country. If Switzerland doesn't want to risk its leading role as an important location for the pharmaceutical industry, this development really must be stopped; the framework conditions applicable to this industry clearly need to be improved.
 
 
      We must be able to carry on transporting chlorine by rail in Switzerland

There has been an increase in the attention being paid to the transportation of hazardous goods on the railways, both in the media and in politics, following the derailment of a goods train in the western region of Switzerland. A project study involving representatives of the Federal authorities, the industry, the Cantons primarily affected and the SBB aims to produce scenarios by the end of 2015 for ways in which the potential conflict between regional development planning and the transportation of chlorine can be defused (particularly around Lake Geneva). From December 2015, trains pulling tanks containing chlorine will only be able to pass through Geneva and Lausanne at a maximum speed of 40 km/h and will have to make a detour around Geneva's La Praille station. Further suitable solutions are expected to be available in the first half of 2016. scienceindustries will also be presenting its concerns to the Par-liamentary consultations. In particular, SBB must not be released too hastily from its obligations with regard to transportation. The transportation of hazardous goods must therefore continue to figure among the SBB's core business areas.
 
 
      Recording of working time: solution approach using works agreements or individual employment contracts

During the written consultation procedure on the revision of Ordinance 1 to the employment law, relating to the recording of working time, scienceindustries rejected the "compromise solution" brokered by the social partners. scienceindustries proposes a solution approach based on working agreements between the relevant employee representative bodies, without the involvement of the trade unions. Where there are no employee representative bodies, a solution should be possible within the individual employment contracts, under certain conditions.
 
 
      New "Pflanzenschützer.ch" website and new fact sheets on plant protection

Plant protection products make an important contribution to the protection of agricultural crops against pests and plant diseases. scienceindustries has set up the online Pflanzenschützer.ch website in German and French in order to promote a consciousness of this topic within the political arena and in society in general. Two new fact sheets have also been published, on "Healthy bees in modern agriculture" and "Quality on a safe footing: Safe plant protection products from safe sources" (available in German and French).

 
 
      Dr Matthias Leuenberger elected as the new Vice President of scienceindustries

The General Assembly of scienceindustries, held at Novartis International in Basel on 19 June 2015, elected the following new Members of the Board of scienceindustries: Prof Geneviève Berger, Corporate Vice President Research & Development, Member Executive Board, Firmenich SA, Barbara Heise, National Representative and Managing Director at Bayer (Schweiz) AG, Dr Matthias Leuenberger, representing Novartis Schweiz, Novartis International AG and Dr Gianni Zampieri, Member of the Corporate Executive Committee at Galenica and Deputy CEO Vifor Pharma, Galenica AG. The previous Board Meeting had elected Dr Matthias Leuenberger, representing Novartis Schweiz, as the new Vice President of scienceindustries.
 
 
     
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.

sig. Dr. Beat Moser
Director
sig. Marcel Sennhauser
Head of Communications
 
 
      scienceindustries
Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech
Nordstrasse 15 - P.O. Box
CH-8021 Zurich
Phone +41 44 368 17 11
Fax +41 44 368 17 70
E-Mail info@scienceindustries.ch
Internet www.scienceindustries.ch
 
   
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