Refunds Frozen: Alfieri and Artoni Call for the Abolition of the Health Tax (cross-border guide)

Contesto

In Brief - The Swiss Council of State has blocked cross-border tax rebates for Lombardy. - Alfieri and Artoni are calling for the abolition of the health tax. - Lombardy’s border municipalities will be affected. ## Key Facts - What: Suspension of cross-border tax rebates for Lombardy. - When: June 30, 2024. - Where: Lombardy, Italy. - Who: Swiss State Council, Alessandro Alfieri, Furio Artoni. - Amount: 50 million francs. The Swiss Council of States has announced a freeze on cross-border rebates for Lombardy alone, a decision that will primarily affect border municipalities in the provinces of Varese and Como. This was stated by Varese Senator Alessandro Alfieri, leader of the Democratic Party (PD) in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee at the Senate. “Thanks to the obtuseness and amateurism of the right-wing governments in Rome and Lombardy, those municipalities that are already paying the price for the government’s absurd cut to border worker subsidies—which decided to take 39 million owed to them and give it to the regions—will be hit hardest.” Luino City Councilman Furio Artoni, who has been working on the issue of cross-border workers for some time—though often unheeded—reiterates the position he has expressed repeatedly in recent months: “When a tax is introduced that the Confederation itself, through an independent expert report, brands as a violation of an international agreement, you don’t need a seismograph to know that sooner or later the ground will shake. All you need is a calendar.” And Artoni, too, echoing Alfieri’s stance, calls for the abolition of the health tax, “before the bill presented by our Swiss neighbors becomes more than a precautionary suspension—but a consensual separation. After all, if there’s one thing the Swiss have always taught us, it’s that punctuality isn’t a virtue—it’s a warning.” ### Implications for Border Municipalities The suspension of cross-border tax rebates will have a significant impact on Lombardy’s border municipalities, which are already facing cuts to rebates imposed by the Italian government. The Swiss State Council’s decision to freeze the rebates only for Lombardy—and not for Piedmont, which has already declared its intention not to apply the tax proposed by Meloni and Giorgetti—further highlights the need for an immediate solution. ### Call to Abolish the Health Tax Alfieri and Artoni strongly call for the abolition of the health tax, emphasizing that this measure is a mistake that violates the provisions of the agreement on the new tax regime between Italy and Switzerland. “I’m sorry to say it,” Alfieri emphasizes, “but we were right. We have repeatedly told the center-right government that the health tax on cross-border workers was a mistake, that it raised constitutional concerns, and that it violated the provisions of the agreement on the new tax regime between Italy and Switzerland. And here, right on cue, comes the retaliation from the Canton of Ticino.” ### Artoni’s Position In his full statement, Artoni emphasizes that the health tax stems from the notion that a bilateral agreement can be torn up as casually as an expired lottery ticket. “One is forgetting a detail that is by no means minor: on the other side of the border, there are no distracted bureaucrats, but a canton that keeps its accounts with the meticulousness of those who not only produce excellent chocolate but also fine watches. Bellinzona waited, issued warnings, commissioned expert reports, and kept ‘all options open,’ as befits those who prefer the foil to the saber. Then, seeing that in Rome the foil was mistaken for surrender, it drew the saber. Fifty million francs’ worth of saber. And now, as punctual as the “useful” gatherings on April 25, the border municipalities are arriving to assess the damage. Luino leads the way, of course, because border territories have this rare privilege: they are the first to pay for others’ mistakes, and the last to receive apologies—if they receive them at all.”

Dettagli operativi

Analysis of the Implications The suspension of border rebates for Lombardy will have a significant impact on border municipalities, which are already facing a difficult economic situation. The Swiss Council of State’s decision to suspend rebates only for Lombardy—and not for Piedmont, which has already stated that it does not intend to apply the tax proposed by Meloni and Giorgetti—further highlights the need for an immediate solution. ### Impact on Border Municipalities Lombardy’s border municipalities will be hit hard by the suspension of rebates. The Swiss State Council’s decision to suspend tax rebates only for Lombardy—and not for Piedmont, which has already declared its refusal to apply the tax proposed by Meloni and Giorgetti—further underscores the need for an immediate solution. ### Call to Abolish the Health Tax Alfieri and Artoni strongly call for the abolition of the health tax, emphasizing that this measure is a mistake that violates the provisions of the agreement on the new tax regime between Italy and Switzerland. “I’m sorry to say it,” Alfieri emphasizes, “but we were right. We have repeatedly told the center-right government that the health tax on cross-border workers was a mistake, that it raised constitutional concerns, and that it violated the provisions of the agreement on the new tax regime between Italy and Switzerland. And here, right on cue, comes the retaliation from the Canton of Ticino.” ### Artoni’s Position In his full statement, Artoni emphasizes that the health tax stems from the notion that a bilateral agreement can be torn up as casually as an expired lottery ticket. “One is forgetting a detail that is by no means minor: on the other side of the border, there are no distracted bureaucrats, but a canton that keeps its accounts with the meticulousness of those who not only produce excellent chocolate but also fine watches. Bellinzona waited, issued warnings, commissioned expert reports, and kept ‘all options open,’ as befits those who prefer the foil to the saber. Then, seeing that in Rome the foil was mistaken for surrender, it drew the saber. Fifty million francs’ worth of saber. And now, as punctual as the “useful” gatherings on April 25, the border municipalities are arriving to assess the damage. Luino leads the way, of course, because border territories have this rare privilege: they are the first to pay for others’ mistakes, and the last to receive apologies—if they receive them at all.”

Punti chiave

Actions to Take In response to the suspension of cross-border tax rebates and the call to abolish the health tax, it is necessary to take some concrete actions. First and foremost, it is essential that the border municipalities of Lombardy join forces to pressure the Italian government and the Swiss Council of States to find an immediate solution. ### Step-by-Step Procedure 1. Union of Border Municipalities: The border municipalities of Lombardy must unite to put pressure on the Italian government and the Swiss Council of States. 2. Contact with Authorities: Municipal representatives must contact Italian and Swiss authorities to discuss the situation and seek a solution. 3. Abolition of the Health Tax: The Italian government and the Swiss State Council must work together to abolish the health tax, which is a mistake and violates the provisions of the new tax agreement between Italy and Switzerland. ### Useful Tools To further explore the situation and find solutions, you can use tools such as calcolatore stipendio and comparatore CHF/EUR available on the website. These tools can help you better understand the economic impact of the suspension of cross-border tax rebates and the health tax. ### Conclusion The suspension of cross-border tax rebates for Lombardy and the call to abolish the health tax represent a critical situation that requires immediate intervention by the Italian and Swiss authorities. It is essential that border municipalities unite to exert pressure and find a solution that protects cross-border workers and their municipalities.

Source: malpensa24.it