Council of States: EU federal decrees approved

Context

In brief

• Council of States approves stabilisation of EU agreements
• Adopted the Erasmus+ credit of €192.6 million for 2027
• The dossier of decrees now goes to the National Council

Key Facts

• Duration of the debate: Approximately 22 hours
• Erasmus+ loan amount: CHF 192.6 million
• Vote on Erasmus+ credit: 23 votes against 19 and 2 abstentions
• President of the SECC-S: Matthias Michel

After about twenty-two hours of intense debates, the Council of States approved the stabilization part of the package of agreements with the European Union. The Chamber of Cantons concluded its work by adopting the disputed commitment credit of CHF 192.6 million for Switzerland's participation in the European Erasmus+ education programme from 2027. This vote represents a crucial step for the future of bilateral relations and student mobility in the country, as it is part of a legislative process that will now require the scrutiny of the second federal chamber. The decision came at the end of a particularly close parliamentary debate that touched on various aspects of the Confederation's foreign and financial policy, demonstrating the complexity of the issues related to relations with Brussels.

The Erasmus+ credit process

The Committee on Science, Education and Culture had asked for the approval of the decree relating to Erasmus+ but with a very narrow majority. The decisive vote in the committee was expressed by President Matthias Michel, who reiterated his support in the chamber by stressing that in the event of non-participation, Switzerland would not be able to participate in the program, with negative consequences for Swiss students. Participation is considered strategic for strengthening the skills of young people, particularly in the field of vocational training, generating benefits for the entire national economic system. Despite the arguments in favor, the opposition of some bourgeois members of the Council of States has highlighted strong concerns related to the financial situation of the Confederation and the need to apply rigorous savings measures at a time of complex public budgets.

Operational details

Financial concerns and the government's position

The Finance Committee of the Council of States had requested, again by a narrow majority, to reject the Erasmus+ credit due to the precarious situation of federal finances and concerns about further public spending. In the face of such resistance, the President of the Confederation and Minister of Education Guy Parmelin intervened in the chamber to point out that the benefits deriving from participation in the program clearly exceed the estimated costs. Parmelin also warned Parliament that a possible vote against could have a negative impact on the overall assessment of the ongoing discussions with the European Union authorities. At the end of the debate, the senators followed the government line by approving the credit with twenty-three votes in favor, nineteen against and two abstentions.

However, the overall package also includes other federal decrees that define the next steps in bilateral relations. The parliamentary debate continues with the part dedicated to further developments in the agreements, including the area of food safety. A new agreement is expected to be concluded aimed at creating a common space with Brussels, with the Federal Council's stated aim of promptly identifying any food that is dangerous to public health. At the same time, the government has confirmed that any hypothesis of harmonization of agricultural policy between Switzerland and the European Union remains strictly excluded. A further step is represented by the agreement on health, designed to strengthen cross-border coordination and collaboration in the event of global health crises such as pandemics, guaranteeing Switzerland direct access to European health security mechanisms and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

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Key points

The transition to the National Council and the next developments

All the decrees approved by the Council of States in the stabilisation and development part of the agreements with the EU now formally go to the National Council for the second phase of the federal parliamentary process. Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider was called upon to defend the agreements on food safety and health in the chamber, whose task is to lead these dossiers towards the conclusion of the debates on the so-called Bilateral III. One of the central topics of the package is also the electricity agreement, the processing of which, however, has been postponed until a later date because the competent committee of the Council of States has not yet completed its technical and political work on this specific chapter of the agenda.

For those who want to learn more about the economic impact of federal decisions, the management of personal finances and the evolution of the Swiss labor market in a context of reforms and international agreements, it is useful to regularly consult the available economic updates. The negotiations with Brussels and the choices of Parliament on public spending, training and security have a direct impact on the national macroeconomic framework and on long-term financial planning for residents and workers in Switzerland. To assess your contribution situation and the impact of federal policies on payroll and social security, discover the calcolatore stipendio.

Source: swissinfo.ch