This is where the group of experts sees the greatest savings potential for the federal government
Published: Thursday, Sep 5th 2024, 13:50
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Without corrective measures, the strong growth in expenditure will lead to high structural deficits in the federal budget in the coming years. The relief package drawn up by a group of experts provides for numerous measures. Here is an overview of the most important points:
INTEGRATION POLICY: The integration policy for temporarily admitted persons and refugees should be geared towards the priority goal of rapid integration into working life. This would save on expenditure for the subsequent support of these people and reduce the federal government's obligation to pay compensation to the cantons to four years.
CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICY: Increased use should be made of incentive taxes, emission regulations and technical regulations. This would make it possible to reduce and prioritize spending on subsidies for property owners and companies. Financial contributions to individual companies and certain sectors should be drastically reduced or eliminated.
TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE: Contributions to the Rail Infrastructure Fund (BIF) and the National Roads and Agglomeration Transport Fund (NAF) are to be reduced. Projects not yet under construction should also be reprioritized. This would require a constitutional amendment with a mandatory referendum.
CITIZENS' CONTRIBUTIONS: The federal government should forego contributions and benefits that are the responsibility of the cantons. For example, financial aid for supplementary childcare is to be cut completely. The increase in the socio-demographic equalization of burdens from two years ago should also be reversed.
SOCIAL WELFARE: On the one hand, federal and AHV expenditure is to be more closely unbundled. In future, the federal contribution to the AHV is to be based on the growth in federal revenue. On the other hand, the Confederation and cantons are to jointly curb the growth in healthcare costs by setting target growth rates.
SMALLER SUBVENTIONS: "Petty subsidies" should be avoided in future. Voluntary contributions to international organizations outside of international development cooperation (IC) and financial aid for the promotion of sport are to be reduced by 10 percent. The law on continuing education is to be dispensed with completely.
NEW PRIORITIZATION: If, for example, military spending is to be increased more quickly without additional tax revenue, IC spending is to be frozen until 2030 and the federal contribution to the Swiss National Science Foundation and Innosuisse is to be cut by 10 percent.
FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION: New tasks are to be managed with existing resources until 2030. After a reduction of 300 million francs, own and especially personnel expenditure should only increase in line with inflation by 2030. The foreseeable high number of upcoming retirements will also create scope for redirecting staff to new areas of responsibility and increasing efficiency.
ARMEE: If army spending is increased less quickly and the rebuilding of defense capabilities is slowed down, fewer savings would have to be made in other policy areas.
MEASURES: The preferential tax treatment of lump-sum withdrawals under the second and third pillars is to be abolished. This could reduce the tax incentive to withdraw retirement capital for reasons of tax optimization. This measure would lead to additional revenue of a good CHF 200 million a year for the federal government. In addition, fewer exemptions from the VAT obligation should be granted. With a standard rate of 6.8 percent, additional revenue of around one billion would be possible each year. A property gains tax should also be examined at national level. Such a tax would have a revenue potential of up to CHF 1 billion per year.
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