Parliament has signed and sealed 14 bills
Published: Friday, Jun 14th 2024, 10:00
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The Federal Assembly concluded the summer session on Friday with the final votes. 14 bills have been approved by parliament:
- by 198 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 44 votes to 0 with one abstention (Council of States) amendments to the Civil Code to protect minors from forced marriages and so-called summer vacation marriages. Courts can now declare marriages invalid up to the age of 25 if a spouse is married to a minor;
- by 132 votes to 66 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 33 votes to 9 with 3 abstentions (Council of States) amendments to the Foreign Nationals Act, which allow foreign victims of domestic violence and their children to be considered a case of hardship and therefore not lose their residence permit if they give up a violent relationship;
- by 135 votes to 63 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 41 votes to 3 with one abstention (Council of States). Young people who commit murder as minors after their 16th birthday can now be detained as a last resort;
- by 198 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) an amendment to the Health Insurance Act, which allows insured persons abroad to be included in the risk equalization between insurers. This affects cross-border commuters in particular;
- by 197 votes to 0 with one abstention (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) amendments to the Unemployment Insurance Act. The bonus-malus system for unemployment insurance funds will be adjusted and there will be more opportunities to participate in work placements, among other things;
- by 196 votes to 1 with one abstention (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) a supplementary agreement to the double taxation agreement with France, which regulates the taxation of teleworking by cross-border commuters from the neighboring country;
- by 195 votes to 1 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) on the legal basis for taxing the income of cross-border commuters who work from home. The law merely sets out a framework; international treaties with the countries of residence of the persons concerned are decisive;
- by 198 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) the legal basis for the federal development finance institution Sifem, which has been in existence for thirteen years. Today it is only mentioned in an ordinance;
- by 198 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) new regulations for cross-border goods transportation by road. The reason for the revision of the law on the licensing of road transport companies was new regulations in the EU;
- by 132 votes to 65 with one abstention (National Council) and 44 votes to 1 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) for an amendment to the Income Compensation Act. Members of the armed forces, civil defense and civilian service will be able to submit their applications for income replacement benefits digitally from 2026;
- by 145 votes to 45 with 7 abstentions (National Council) and 44 votes to 1 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) amendments to the double taxation agreement with Slovenia. This implements the OECD's minimum standards from the Beps project (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting):
- by 195 votes to 3 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) for the exchange of data on blocked persons in the area of gambling between Switzerland and Liechtenstein:
- by 197 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 44 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States), an amendment to the Civil Code that gives patronage welfare funds more freedom to grant preventive benefits;
- by 197 votes to 1 with 0 abstentions (National Council) and 45 votes to 0 with 0 abstentions (Council of States) to amend the Parliamentary Ordinance. This means that the live broadcasts of debates in the Federal Assembly must be subtitled in future so that people with hearing impairments can follow them.
No changes to the Criminal Code
Amendments to the Criminal Code aimed at adapting the regulations for people in custody have failed in the National Council. The upper chamber rejected the bill by 69 votes to 129, while the Council of States voted in favor by 41 votes to 3. Among other things, the amendment would have meant that those in custody would no longer be allowed to go on unaccompanied vacation.
With the exception of the amendments to the parliamentary ordinance, all decisions are subject to an optional referendum. A referendum has not yet been an issue for any of the proposals.
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