Major disagreement on the obligation to declare air transportation
Published: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 09:40
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A parliamentary initiative demands that the mode of transportation of unprocessed imported foodstuffs such as fish or meat must be declared. The declaration should include air transportation to Switzerland. Associations and political parties are divided over such an amendment to the Foodstuffs Act (LMG).
The initiative was submitted by National Councillor Christine Badertscher (Greens/BE). She wants to add an obligation to declare the type of transport and, in particular, particularly environmentally harmful air transport to Article 13 of the LMG. The aim is more transparency for consumers and more sustainable consumption.
The responsible committees for science, education and culture (WBK) of both chambers of parliament support the bill. In the National Council committee, support was very narrow.
Highly controversial among parties
The bill is also highly controversial among the political parties. The FDP and SVP reject the indication of the mode of transportation on the labels of fresh products imported into Switzerland. The Federal Council could prescribe the declaration by ordinance if it so wished.
The existing indication of origin already provides relevant information - the transport indication would complicate and increase the cost of labeling, which would fall back on the consumer.
In addition, such labeling may be incompatible with Switzerland's obligations under World Trade Organization (WTO) trade law. If the amendment to the law is nevertheless pushed forward, the FDP is calling for it to only affect products that are imported directly into Switzerland by air.
This is also where the SVP comes in: The proposed wording of the legal text was deliberately left open so as not to be limited to products that enter Switzerland directly by air. It could also be applicable to other means of transportation. The Center Party and the Green Liberals are not taking part in this consultation.
The SP and the Greens welcome the change in the law. For the SP, the transparency of the ecological footprint is an important incentive for more sustainable purchasing behavior. However, limiting this to food and air transportation is not enough; an extension to all consumer products and types of transportation is necessary.
Only transparent supply chains allow for a conscious purchasing decision, write the Greens. The regulation is also compatible with WTO obligations. However, further measures are necessary. The declaration obligation should be extended to all transportation routes and the entire ecological footprint should be declared.
Disagreement also among associations
Industry associations also disagree on the declaration requirement for air transportation of bananas, papayas or wagyu meat to Switzerland. Consumers would be misled by such a regulation, according to Gastrosuisse. According to the outline of the law listed in the parliamentary initiative, products that enter Switzerland by land or sea via foreign airports would not have to be declared.
The IG Retail Switzerland, which represents Coop, Migros and Denner, is blowing the same horn: the amendment to the law could tempt Swiss providers to relocate downstream services to other European countries in order to circumvent the mandatory declaration. This could create clear disincentives so that transported goods are no longer flown into Switzerland, but into border regions and then transported to Switzerland by road or rail.
Like the conservative parties, Gastrosuisse criticizes the fact that an additional declaration of the type of transport would lead to additional work for companies. The baked goods manufacturers' association Biscosuisse and the chocolate manufacturers' association Chocosuisse also make the same point.
The Environmental Alliance, an association of the environmental organizations Greenpeace, Pro Natura, VCS and WWF, as well as the Foundation for Consumer Protection, are in favour of the mandatory declaration. However, they criticize the restriction to fresh products. The Environmental Alliance is calling for a declaration of the complete ecological footprint.
Air transportation should also be declared if the product arrives in Switzerland by land. Consumer protection also wants the hospitality industry to be subject to the declaration requirement. The Farmers' Association is in favor of the declaration requirement as a "soft measure" that would involve little effort.
©Keystone/SDA
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