Incentive tax on volatile organic substances is abolished
Published: Tuesday, May 28th 2024, 11:20
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The Federal Council must repeal the incentive tax on volatile organic compounds. After the National Council, the Council of States also voted in favor of the corresponding motion by its Committee for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy on Tuesday by 27 votes to 12 with 2 abstentions.
The corresponding passage on the incentive tax on "volatile organic compounds" (VOCs) is therefore to be deleted from the Environmental Protection Act. VOCs are contained in solvents and can lead to high levels of ozone pollution. The VOC incentive tax was introduced in 2000.
The Council of States' Committee for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy (Urek-S) spoke out in favor of repealing the tax. It argued that emissions had been halved since the introduction of the levy. The objectives of the incentive tax had been achieved, said rapporteur Daniel Fässler (center/AI).
A left-green minority of the Commission requested that the incentive tax be retained. The levy on VOC substances had prevented chronic diseases for 24 years, said minority spokesperson Céline Vara (Greens/NE). If the levy is abolished, this will have a direct impact on health insurance premiums, among other things. The Federal Office for the Environment also believes that the incentive tax is still necessary.
The Federal Council had also requested the rejection of the motion in advance. VOCs contribute to air pollution through particulate matter or ozone. "In order to maintain the level of protection achieved, the incentive tax cannot simply be abolished without replacement," said Environment Minister Albert Rösti. If it were abolished, the limit values of the Ordinance on Air Pollution Control (OAPC) would have to be tightened and product regulations for paint or varnish would have to be introduced.
In-depth clarifications are also required for affected sectors, as it is unclear to what extent stricter limits in the LRV would burden small and medium-sized companies that were not affected by the incentive tax. The Federal Council will therefore draw up a report examining alternatives to the incentive tax.
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