Council of States committee calls for preservation of the Swiss steel industry
Published: Friday, Nov 15th 2024, 13:20
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The Federal Council should take additional measures to maintain steel production in Switzerland. After the National Council, the responsible Council of States committee is also calling for this. After Stahl Gerlafingen, the second large Swiss steelworks, Swiss Steel in Emmenbrücke LU, also announced redundancies on Friday.
At its meeting, the Economic Affairs Committee of the Council of States (WAK-S) discussed three motions to support the Swiss steel industry. It asked the Council to adopt them, as reported by the parliamentary services on Friday.
The motions instruct the Federal Council to swiftly pursue additional measures to maintain steel production in Switzerland. For example, it should provide transitional financing for the steel industry in order to secure Switzerland as a production location and maintain the circular economy.
The National Council's Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy Committee (Urek-N) should also soon decide on concrete immediate measures, in particular for the benefit of Stahl Gerlafingen. In the view of the majority of the WAK-S, the motions recommended for approval complement these steps.
Even if they are not in favor of an industrial policy in principle, there is a need for action in view of the existential threat to the two steelworks in Gerlafingen and Emmenbrücke, according to the Council of States committee. In the interests of the country's security of supply and sustainability, framework conditions must be created for the Swiss steel industry that allow it to continue to exist.
The Council of States will deal with the motions in the winter session. The national government has so far rejected state support for individual companies or sectors.
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