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Business Association Chemistry Pharma Biotech |
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Newsletter
October 5th, 2015
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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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Demands for Switzerland's European policy from its largest export industry
The proposal made by the Swiss Federal Council for the way in which the mass immigration initiative in Art. 121a of the Federal Constitution should be implemented was met by broad opposition during the consultation procedure. The Swiss Federal Council will presumably not decide upon its next course of action before the end of 2015. In June, the Swiss Federal Council decided to appoint State Secretary Jacques de Watteville as its chief negotiator for all the forthcoming negotiations with the EU. By doing so, the Swiss Federal Council hopes to achieve an improvement in the coordination of the discussions and an expansion of its scope for negotiation. In fulfilment of a proposition put forward by Karin Keller-Sutter, Member of the Council of States, the Federal Council also approved a report concluding that a comprehensive free trade agreement that is (by definition) restricted to market access would represent a step backwards from the existing bilateral agreement with the EU.
In its updated position paper, scienceindustries formulates its "Demands with regard to Switzerland's European policy", and also takes account of the Swiss voters' decision on mass immigration.
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"Green economy" – another partial victory for scienceindustries against inefficient proposal
In its 2015 summer session, the National Council decided by the casting vote of the President to agree to this proposal. During the detailed consultation that took place during the autumn session, the National Council then agreed with all the motions put forward by industry. Furthermore, the National Council also rejected the toned-down counter proposal by 95 to 92 votes with 6 abstentions. The Council of States will deal with this matter again at its 2015 winter session. In 2016, scienceindustries will need to reinforce the National Council in its rejection.
In a similar context, the Federal Council resolved to postpone a new national research programme entitled "Greening the economy" (project scope approx. CHF 15 million). In the run-up to this resolution, scienceindustries was invited to a consultation, at which it recommended rejection. The planned research programme would not have taken account of the relevant aspects and challenges affecting our sector. |
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Energy Strategy 2050 worsens Switzerland's position still further in this era of the strong Swiss Franc
From a business point of view, the parliamentary consultations on Energy Strategy 2050 continue to prove unsatisfactory. Nevertheless, the Council of States reasonably rejected the necessity for long-term concepts for nuclear power plants at its autumn session and reduced the targets for expansion by 2035 from 14.5 TWh (Federal Council) to 11.4 TWh. In relation to the level of the cost-covering remuneration scheme for renewable energy fed into the electricity grid (KEV), the Council of States fell in line with the National Council, against the interests of the industry, setting the maximum at the same level of 2.3 cents/kWh. However, this subsidy is at least intended to be time-limited. The industry was defeated regarding the support provided to hydro power (0.2 cents/kWh), even though Swiss businesses are already paying about 360 million CHF every year in subsidies to the renewable energies via the KEV. In the case of the carbon levy, the Council of States fell in with the Federal Council, which had decided upon an increase to 84 CHE per tonne of CO2 in 2016. This represents an increase of 40% compared with today's level. The Council of States said a clear "no" to a "dirty power" levy on carbon emissions. The Energy Strategy is expected to be concluded at the 2016 spring or summer session.
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Transportation of chlorine by rail continues to be a core function for the SBB
Thanks to its own intensive efforts, scienceindustries has succeeded in convincing the other relevant industry associations and politicians that the transportation of goods should continue as a core function of the SBB for the time being. Following on from the decision of the Council of States, the National Council has now come to the same point of view at its autumn session. scienceindustries is working actively with the Swiss federal authorities, the cantons and the SBB within the framework of the project study on measures to guarantee the safety of chlorine transportation; we anticipate that initial results will be available at the end of 2015.
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VOC tax: inefficient, cost-intensive regulation must be abolished
Since the year 2000, Switzerland, as the only nation in Europe, imposes an incentive tax on the emissions of volatile organic compounds. Even though the original target levels have, to all intents and purposes, been achieved in the meantime, the Confederation has not as yet made any effort to abolish its enforcement; this is costly for the companies, cantonal authorities and tax administrators. In association with the other affected industry associations, scienceindustries is preparing political initiatives to avoid the unnecessary additional burden of the VOC tax in future.
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Commission for Technology and Innovation CTI should be converted into an independent, public sector federal agency
In the middle of June 2015, the Swiss Federal Council opened the public consultation on the draft of a federal law governing the Swiss Agency for the Promotion of Innovation (Innosuisse). The current function of the Commission for Technology and Innovation CTI (which is to build a bridge between the research world and the market) would not be altered.
In its response, scienceindustries supports the conversion of the CTI into an independent, public sector federal agency along the lines of the Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF. However, it also demands that the function and tasks of the new organisation should remain clearly focussed; the new organisation must continue to be limited to the promotion of "bottom-up" innovation projects. It clearly rejects new, subject-oriented programmes and evaluates the anticipated support for individuals critically. In addition, scienceindustries also questions the need to change the CTI's name to "Innosuisse" and (as the largest research and export industry) is keen to be represented appropriately in the Board of Directors of the new organisation.
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PG BFI Parliamentary Group demonstrates the importance of secure public funding for the Federal Institute of Technology sector and the universities
At the session event held by the "Parliamentary Group on Education, Research and Innovation (PG BFI)" under the chairmanship of National Councillor Gerhard Pfister on 22 September 2015, Professor Gian-Luca Bona, Director of EMPA (the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) used practical examples to illustrate the successful collaboration between science and industry. In his talk, he spelled out to the dozen or more parliamentarians who were present the significance of the secure distribution of funding for the benefit of the Federal Institute of Technology sector and the universities, as part of the impending BFI 2017-20 period for Switzerland as a location for science.
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scienceindustries working group on agriculture (Agrar): working for innovative, environmentally-sound solutions in the plant protection sector
scienceindustries is increasing its communications activities to raise the profile of the work of its agriculture group, which includes member companies from the agricultural sector. In this working group, specialists are looking for innovative, environmentally-sound solutions in the plant protection sector, because it would be impossible to produce food at the required quality and in sufficient quantity without plant protection products. Switzerland needs to stay at the very top in the research and development of plant protection products. Further information is available at http://agrar.scienceindustries.ch.
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Reto Müller joins the Pharma and Economic Affairs divisions while Claudio Valentino joins the Operations division at scienceindustries
At the beginning of November 2015, Mr Reto Müller (born in 1986) will take over his function from Martin Pranjic, who is leaving scienceindustries; Mr Müller will be working as a scientific staff member in the Pharma and Economic Affairs divisions. He completed his degree in Economic Sciences at the University of Zurich in 2015 and has been working since then as an Internal Auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Zurich.
On 1st November, Mr Claudio Valentino (born in 1971) will be taking over the function of Director of the Operations division at scienceindustries from Jean Rüegg, who is retiring after over 22 years of service to the Association. Claudio Valentino is a Swiss Certified Expert in Accounting and Controlling and can call upon many years of experience in the areas of finance, accountancy and HR, as well as in the management of businesses. For the past 8 years, Mr Valentino has been Head of Group Accounting & Controlling at Hotelplan Management AG.
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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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