National Council sinks tonnage tax for maritime shipping
Published: Tuesday, May 28th 2024, 12:10
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Switzerland will not tax shipping companies at a flat rate in future either. The introduction of the so-called tonnage tax is off the table. On Tuesday, the National Council agreed with the Council of States' decision not to introduce it.
With 108 votes in favor, 75 against and two abstentions, the National Council followed the proposal of the majority of its Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation (WAK-N). As previously in the Council of States, concerns about the federal finances and doubts about the constitutionality of the bill prevailed in Tuesday's debate.
The decision represents a U-turn: In the winter of 2022, the Grand Chamber had still supported the bill to introduce the tonnage tax. This would have allowed Swiss deep-sea shipping companies to choose to be taxed according to the loading capacity of their ships instead of based on the actual profit or loss generated. On average, this would have reduced their tax burden.
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