Swiss-EU food security agreement approved

Context

In brief

• Council of States approves agreement on food safety
• Switzerland should adopt EU rules
• More than 50% of exports go to the EU
• The vote on special labels ends 22 to 21

Key Facts

• Subject → new agreement on food safety
• Parties → Switzerland and the European Union
• Goal → common space for food security
• Trade → more than 50% of exports to the EU; more than 70% of imports from the EU
• Referendum → optional
• Vote → 22 to 21 against the wording for foie gras, magret and confit

In Bern, the Council of States approved a new agreement on food safety. In today's vote, the upper house favoured an optional referendum on one of the three new bilateral agreements envisaged. The draft points in a clear direction: Switzerland should adopt EU food safety standards in the future.

The aim is to create a common space between Switzerland and the EU to protect human, animal and plant health. The cooperation should make it possible to identify health risks earlier and combat fraud more effectively.

Agricultural autonomy and market access

Elisabeth Baume-Schneider stressed in plenary that the harmonisation of Swiss and EU agricultural policy remains excluded.

"Switzerland's agricultural policy remains autonomous."

For the Federal Councillor, the agreement must also improve consumer protection along the agri-food chain and facilitate access to the EU internal market for the companies concerned. In her opinion, the agreement is targeted and allows for clarification of relations with Brussels.

Supporters pointed to the weight of agricultural and food trade: more than 50% of Swiss exports go to the EU, while more than 70% of imports come from the EU. Petra Gössi (FDP/SZ) said that the agri-food export industry is also counting on the agreement to avoid a Swiss finish.

The People's Party, supported by some representatives of the Centre and the FDP, opposed it. Hannes Germann (SVP/SH) criticised the administrative burden and any additional rules coming from Brussels. Fabio Regazzi (Centre/TI), on the other hand, supported the reduction of barriers to trade, but called for no additional burdens to be imposed on SMEs.

The vote now opens the debate on changes dedicated to online platforms, official controls, pesticides, water and food indications.

Operational details

What it means for companies and controls

The practical impact described by the source focuses on those who produce, sell, control or import food. The draft links the agreement to two objectives: strengthening consumer protection along the agri-food chain and facilitating access for Swiss companies to the EU internal market.

The first comparison to be made is between two distinct levels. On the one hand, there are EU rules on food safety and the creation of a common area. On the other hand, the autonomy of Swiss agricultural policy remains. The agreement, therefore, is not presented as a general harmonization of agriculture, but as a targeted rapprochement on safety rules and trade.

For the agri-food export industry, the issue is also linked to the possibility of avoiding a Swiss finish. Trade quotas show the weight of the relationship with Brussels: more than half of Swiss exports go to the EU and more than 70% of imports come from that market. For SMEs, however, the reduction of trade barriers is accompanied by the request not to create new administrative burdens. The employment issue remains distinct; for a separate reading of the business market, the section on aziende che assumono is available.

The chapter on controls requires attention to the distribution of powers. The Council of States has limited the Federal Council's powers over official food controls and the right of the Confederation to impose specific measures on the cantons. It has also opposed the Federal Council on the provisions on criminal prosecution.

In the field of pesticides, on the other hand, the upper chamber followed the Federal Council on the possibility for nature and landscape protection organizations to become parties to the approval procedures. It rejected the alignment of Swiss water monitoring with that of the EU, believing that it would weaken water protection. Finally, for consumers, the draft includes a discussion on the indications for foie gras, magret and confit, while the Federal Council already provides for the country of production on prepackaged foodstuffs.

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Key points

From news to operational verification

The transition from decision to practice requires separating the actors involved. The agreement simultaneously concerns agri-food companies, online platforms, control authorities, environmental organisations and consumers. An orderly reading avoids confusing access to the EU market with the harmonisation of agricultural policy.

Five operational checks

1. A Swiss company that deals in agricultural products or foodstuffs should examine the project in the light of the two stated objectives: consumer protection and access to the EU internal market. The autonomy of Swiss agricultural policy remains the limit to be kept separate from the chapter on food safety.

2. An online platform with its registered office or domicile abroad must isolate the change that affects its scope. The government must be able to oblige it to designate a contact point in Switzerland and to register with the Swiss information systems. These are the operational elements indicated by the text for the platforms concerned.

3. Anyone who is responsible for official food controls must consider the decisions on the powers of the Federal Council, the measures that the Confederation may impose on the cantons and the provisions on criminal prosecution. These are three separate chapters of the draft and should not be treated as a single rule.

4. Nature and landscape protection organisations may follow the authorisation procedures for plant protection products in the light of the position supported by the Federal Council and approved by the Council of States. On the other hand, the proposal to align water monitoring with EU monitoring was rejected.

5. For pre-packed foodstuffs, the Federal Council already provides for the indication of the country of production. The proposal to add a specific statement for products made from stuffed geese or ducks was rejected by 22 votes to 21: it should therefore not be transformed into an obligation described by the source.

The dossier concerns food security and trade; to separate this issue from other household costs, you can consult the costo della vita in Svizzera. To estimate your personal economic situation, use the calcolatore stipendio/imposte.

Source: tio.ch