Councils agree on cultural contributions for the years 2025 to 2028
Published: Thursday, Sep 19th 2024, 12:50
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The Swiss parliament has reached an agreement on the financing of federal funding for culture for the years 2025 to 2028. The Pro Helvetia cultural foundation will receive a total of CHF 186.9 million for its activities abroad. The contributions have thus been approved by Parliament.
Last Tuesday, the Council of States insisted on its position not to reduce the funds for Pro Helvetia by CHF 6.5 million to CHF 180.4 million. On Thursday, the National Council gave in by 106 votes to 79 with two abstentions. The Federal Council had also requested the higher amount.
The payment framework for Pro Helvetia is part of the Confederation's new cultural dispatch for the years 2025 to 2028 and consists of twelve decrees. The federal decrees below form the prerequisite for the Confederation being able to provide around CHF 990 million for financial aid from the Federal Office of Culture, for federal film funding, for the Swiss National Museum and for the Pro Helvetia cultural foundation, among other things.
However, one final difference remains regarding the parties' right to appeal to a newly created commission for historically contaminated cultural heritage: When discussing the necessary legal basis in the Federal Act on the International Transfer of Cultural Property, the National Council decided that the commission can only be called upon unilaterally in the event of disputes.
This was also the Federal Council's intention. The Council of States, on the other hand, wants the Commission to act with the agreement of all parties. Due to this difference, the Council of States will have to vote on the bill once again.
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