What does the motion presented in the Grand Council denounce?

The cross-party motion denounces the Italian measure called by the source "health tax" as a violation of Article 9 of the Agreement on the Taxation of Frontier Workers. According to the wording reported, thatarticle would provide for the exclusive right of Switzerland to tax the employment income of "old frontier workers". The source does not report the full text of the motion or further application details.

To whom does the reference to Article 9 refer?

The reference concerns the "old frontier workers", an expression used in the source to indicate the category of labour income considered by Article 9. The news does not explicitly extend the wording to all border crossers and does not explain the criteria with which to distinguish the categories. In the available text, this is the only subjective perimeter indicated for the dispute.

Has Ticino already blocked the refreshments?

The available text does not document a block that has already occurred. The title reports that Ticino threatens to block refills, but the news does not indicate a date, procedure, conditions or calendar. The fact explicitly reported is the presentation of the cross-party motion in the Grand Council, accompanied by the denunciation of the Italian measure as a violation of Article 9.

What are the dates for the new agreement?

According to the verified domain reference, the New Frontier Agreement was signed on 23 December 2020 and entered into force on 1 January 2024. The source of the news on the motion does not report these dates: in the available text the agreement is referred to through article 9 and the reference to "old frontier workers".

How should old and new frontiersmen be distinguished?

The verified domain reference indicates as "old border crossers" those already checked before July 17, 2023. For them, it indicates an exemption of 7,500 euros in the transitional regime 2024-2033; for new frontier workers, it indicates a deductible of 10,000 euros. The formulation of the source on taxation, however, concerns the "old frontier workers".

Motion in Ticino against the health tax

Di Marco Ferrari · Published on 28 October 2026

Illustrative image relevant to the article topic

Interparty motion submitted to the Grand Council The Italian measure is challenged over Article 9 Ticino threatens to block the tax revenue transfers Subject

Context

In brief

Inter-party motion presented in the Grand Council
The Italian measure is contested on article 9
Ticino threatens a block on reimbursements

Key facts

Subject: the so-called 'health tax'
Venue: Grand Council
Referenced norm: article 9 of the Agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers
Indicated audience: 'old cross-border workers'
Indicated reaction: threat of blocking reimbursements

In recent days, the so-called 'health tax' has returned to the center of public debate also in the Canton of Ticino. The source reports that an inter-party motion dedicated to the Italian measure has been presented in the Grand Council.

The point raised by the motion concerns the relationship with the Agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers. According to the complaint reported by the source, the Italian measure would be in violation of article 9 of the same agreement. The contestation is thus traced back to a specific norm and the provision on the right to tax employment income.

The scope of the contestation

According to the available text, article 9 would exclusively attribute to Switzerland the right to tax the employment income of 'old cross-border workers'. The clarification on the audience is a central part of the news: the source does not present the phrase as referred indiscriminately to every cross-border worker and does not describe other categories.

The title accompanies the motion with a threat of blocking reimbursements by Ticino. The text does not indicate a date, a procedure, or conditions for a possible block. Therefore, the news documents the presentation of the motion and the position it expresses; it does not document a block that has already occurred.

Operational details

What the source allows us to state

The report allows three levels to be distinguished that should not be conflated. The first is the political fact: an inter-party motion was submitted in the Grand Council. The second concerns the allegation: according to the source, the Italian measure would be in conflict with Article 9 of the Agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers. The third is the development evoked in the headline, namely the threat to block the tax rebates. The source presents them within the same framework, but does not report any subsequent outcome of the motion.

Table 1: Level
Level	Information reported
Measure	The so-called Italian «health tax»
Rule	Article 9 of the agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers
Income	Employment income of the «old cross-border workers»
Reaction	Threat to block the tax rebates

Terms not to conflate

The text refers to the right to tax employment income, but does not specify rates, amounts, deadlines, or collection methods. It also does not describe how withholding tax or double taxation works. These terms may be relevant to the tax issues of cross-border workers, but they are not developed in the source and do not make it possible to calculate an amount for an individual cross-border worker.

The same caution applies to the headline: «threatens to block» signals a position or a possible development; it does not prove that the tax rebates have already been suspended. The available material contains no final decision, timetable, or effect that has already been applied.

Key points

The temporal reference and the categories

According to the verified domain reference, the New Cross-Border Workers Agreement was signed on December 23, 2020 and has been in force since January 1, 2024. However, the source text provides no dates and merely refers to the Agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers. This temporal reference alone does not demonstrate the alleged violation.

The same reference distinguishes the «old cross-border workers», who were already cross-border workers before July 17, 2023, from the new cross-border workers. For the former, it specifies an exemption of 7'500 euro under the 2024-2033 transitional regime; for the latter, it specifies a tax-free allowance of 10'000 euro. The distinction should be maintained: the source's wording concerns employment income of the «old cross-border workers».

What remains undocumented

The report does not provide the full text of the motion, identify the signatory parties, or explain which part of the Italian measure supports the alleged violation. It also provides no tax amounts, payment methods, or decisions already adopted concerning the tax rebates.

The text also does not mention AVS, LPP, or LAMal. It therefore offers no information on social security or health insurance: the documented fact remains the motion in Canton Ticino and the reference to the agreement.

Source: ocst.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the motion presented in the Grand Council denounce?: The cross-party motion denounces the Italian measure called by the source "health tax" as a violation of Article 9 of the Agreement on the Taxation of Frontier Workers. According to the wording reported, thatarticle would provide for the exclusive right of Switzerland to tax the employment income of "old frontier workers". The source does not report the full text of the motion or further application details.
To whom does the reference to Article 9 refer?: The reference concerns the "old frontier workers", an expression used in the source to indicate the category of labour income considered by Article 9. The news does not explicitly extend the wording to all border crossers and does not explain the criteria with which to distinguish the categories. In the available text, this is the only subjective perimeter indicated for the dispute.
Has Ticino already blocked the refreshments?: The available text does not document a block that has already occurred. The title reports that Ticino threatens to block refills, but the news does not indicate a date, procedure, conditions or calendar. The fact explicitly reported is the presentation of the cross-party motion in the Grand Council, accompanied by the denunciation of the Italian measure as a violation of Article 9.
What are the dates for the new agreement?: According to the verified domain reference, the New Frontier Agreement was signed on 23 December 2020 and entered into force on 1 January 2024. The source of the news on the motion does not report these dates: in the available text the agreement is referred to through article 9 and the reference to "old frontier workers".
How should old and new frontiersmen be distinguished?: The verified domain reference indicates as "old border crossers" those already checked before July 17, 2023. For them, it indicates an exemption of 7,500 euros in the transitional regime 2024-2033; for new frontier workers, it indicates a deductible of 10,000 euros. The formulation of the source on taxation, however, concerns the "old frontier workers".