In its budget debate on Monday, the Council of States created numerous differences with the National Council. He wants to keep state funds for environmental technologies at their current level and not increase them significantly like the National Council. The two councils are on the same page on agriculture
Without discussion, the Council of States accepted the 680 million francs for the hardship settlement with the cantons to cushion the economic consequences of the Covid crisis. But then the differences with the National Council soon followed.
Stable contributions to agriculture
For direct payments in agriculture, the National Council wanted to increase the budget item by CHF 16.8 million to CHF 2.813 billion. The Federal Council had earmarked a little less money to offset the actual inflation. The National Council wanted to keep farmers’ incomes stable compared to 2020. A solution finally prevailed in the Council of States, which provides for an almost identical increase to CHF 2.812. In contrast to the National Council’s solution, however, this loan does not include any funds for herd protection.
The 1.8 million francs that the National Council wanted to pay for the summer contributions to sustainable sheep planning had no chance in the Council of States. The Council of States followed the National Council in terms of funding for Agroscope, Switzerland’s center of excellence for agricultural research. The loan is to be increased by 4 million to around 187 million francs. A minority motion by Erich Ettlin (CVP / OW), who wanted to increase the allowances for the dairy industry, was rejected with 24 to 19 votes.
No more funds for environmental technology
For the promotion of environmental technologies from 2019 to 2023 there is an earlier approved commitment credit of 22 million francs. The Federal Council wanted to leave the loan as it was, the National Council an increase of 9 million francs. A minority motion finally prevailed, so that the Council of States followed the Federal Council.
The Council of States goes less than the National Council when it comes to strengthening children’s rights and protecting children. The National Council increased the amount by 870,000 to 2 million francs. This amount was too high for the Council of States. Finally, an increase in the amount to 1.5 million francs prevailed. Marina Carobbio Guscetti (SP / TI) explained: “With Corona, child protection will become even more important”, your compromise proposal finally found a majority with 24 to 19 votes.
Culture and research undisputed
On the other hand, when it comes to money for culture, the two councils agree. The National Council provided 10.8 million more than the Federal Council for the Federal Office of Culture. The Council of States followed him in this regard. Both councils had previously approved the increase in contributions by CHF 5.6 million, but they were not yet in the budget. The corresponding budget was actually increased to CHF 5.2 million.
When increasing the funds for the ETH and research, the Council of States deliberately created a difference in order to properly discuss it. In the National Council, the preliminary deliberations of the responsible commissions with short-term individual proposals were skipped. With the difference, the commissions can deal again with the credits. According to the Council of States Peter Hegglin (CVP / ZG), these are undisputed.
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