Parliament essentially says yes to the mammoth customs bill
Published: Tuesday, Dec 17th 2024, 12:00
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 17th 2024, 11:50
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In principle, Parliament supports the revised Customs Act, which regulates the arming of employees of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security, among other things. However, there are still open points in the bill
The Council of States passed the bill on Tuesday by 33 votes to 0 with four abstentions. The National Council did the same in the spring session, with 102 votes in favor, 62 against and 8 abstentions. The ball is now back in its court.
A fundamental revision of the legal regulations on customs is necessary, said Thierry Burkart (FDP/AG) on behalf of the majority of the Council of States Economic Affairs Committee (WAK-S). The merging of customs and border control needed a legal framework. There was also a desire for simplified customs procedures.
Weapons for possible threats
For example, it has now been decided that employees of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG) can carry weapons during inspections. The prerequisite for this is that they may be exposed to particular threats during this work and have completed appropriate training.
Both councils want to authorize customs and border control employees to take fingerprints and DNA samples and amended the bill accordingly. This should apply if it can be assumed that the persons concerned may have committed serious offenses. This is being done at the request of the cantons, said Burkart.
Carlo Sommaruga (SP/GE) objected that the role of customs was to check goods, while the police checked people. However, his minority motion not to give customs employees this authority was defeated by 6 votes to 35.
Both chambers also agree that revenue from the auctioning of tariff quotas, for example for meat, should be treated as import duties. This is what the upper chamber wanted, and this is what the Council of States has now decided at the request of a minority.
Needs of the food industry
Their spokesperson Peter Hegglin (center/ZG) pointed out the needs of the food industry and processing trade. What the minority wanted could, for example, maintain sales of beef fat, said Hegglin. This in turn would counteract the waste of food.
The majority warned in vain against unjustified export subsidies. According to the majority in the Council of States, Switzerland would be violating international law with this provision. The minority disagreed, arguing that other countries have similar provisions.
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter warned of losses for the federal treasury. According to estimates by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), this would amount to around CHF 200 million.
The definition that has now been adopted means that the funds in question will no longer benefit the general federal treasury. Instead, they would be subject to reimbursement under certain circumstances, namely if products are re-exported after processing.
Controversial goods declaration
The conditions for declaring goods at customs and for the simplified declaration of goods are still controversial. Both councils decided on different provisions for the simplified declaration, despite the Finance Minister's request not to create any new complications.
Carlo Sommaruga (SP/GE) also criticized the fact that the bill did not contain any stricter provisions on bonded warehouses. His minority motion to shed more light on these dark zones and to specify not only owners but also beneficial owners was rejected by the conservative majority in the Council.
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