Council of States wants to enable target prices for Swiss wood
Published: Monday, Jun 10th 2024, 17:00
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The Council of States wants to enable the timber industry to agree guide prices for raw timber harvested in Switzerland. The small chamber adopted a corresponding legislative proposal from its Committee for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy on Monday by 40 votes to 0 with one abstention.
The Forest Act should be amended in this regard. Individual companies should not be forced to comply with such target prices.
The amendment should enable the approximately 250,000 Swiss forest owners to sell raw wood from their forests at market prices without having to fear legal proceedings, said Daniel Fässler (center), a member of the Council of States from Innerrhoden who is also President of the Swiss Forest Owners Association (WaldSchweiz). He had initiated the bill with a parliamentary initiative.
Since the dissolution of the Swiss Timber Market Commission (HMK) in 2020 and a request for information from the Competition Commission (ComCo), Swiss Forestry had only published historical prices. Meanwhile, most forestry operations and forest owners in Switzerland have been operating at a loss for years.
As a result, the willingness to still maintain and use the forests and thus make the valuable domestic raw material wood available for the downstream links in the value chain is decreasing, said Fässler.
The Federal Council also welcomed the proposal. "The 250,000 forest owners are dependent on transparent market prices in order to be able to maintain the forest," said Environment Minister Albert Rösti in the Council. The possibility of agreeing target prices would have indirect positive effects, as forest maintenance could be better financed. One of the Federal Council's main objectives is to ensure sustainable forest management in Switzerland.
The National Council will decide next.
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