Federal Council must make improvements to national address service
Published: Thursday, Feb 29th 2024, 12:11
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The National Council does not want a national address service for the time being. On Thursday, it referred a corresponding bill back to the Federal Council for revision.
The large chamber reached its decision by 116 votes to 71 with no abstentions - against the wishes of the Council's left wing, the GLP and the two EPP representatives. The Council of States had approved the Address Service Act by a large majority in the winter session.
Criticized as immature
A majority of the National Council's Political Institutions Committee (SPK-N), however, criticized the draft law as immature. There was no constitutional basis for the federal government to take action in this area. Furthermore, it was not clear what benefits the project would bring to citizens.
The Federal Council had obviously not examined models that would achieve the desired goal while leaving the competencies to the cantons, said majority spokesperson Gregor Rutz (SVP/ZH). Moreover, there was no guarantee that it would be sufficient in future to report one's address once.
The Federal Council's draft provided for the creation of a central database containing the addresses of natural persons. It was to be set up and managed by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Accordingly, access should be granted to certain administrative offices and third parties that fulfill a legal mandate. They should now be able to query the address data of the entire resident population throughout Switzerland. The Federal Council explained that this would simplify the work of the administration.
Cantons were in favor
A minority of the Commission was against the rejection. However, it was not able to prevail in the Council.
Corina Gredig (GLP/ZH) pointed out that very few people now live in one place all their lives. This leads to administrative work and costs if someone does not properly deregister and register with the municipality of residence.
Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider campaigned in vain for the bill. This was also widely supported by the cantons. Important issues are at stake, such as making it more difficult to evade alimony payments.
As far as the constitutional basis was concerned, Baume-Schneider argued that it was merely a means of enabling the Confederation to fulfill its tasks enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
©Keystone/SDA
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