Swiss Senate defers decision on importing US chlorinated chicken

States Councillor Mathilde Crevosier Crelier. Keystone-SDA

The Senate didn't decide on whether chlorinated chicken from the US could be imported in Switzerland under a tariff deal.

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The plenum preferred to refer everything back to the committee responsible, judging that this is not the right time to discuss it.

Author of the point of order for postponement, Jakob Stark, a parliamentarian from the Swiss People’s Party admitted that these chlorine-treated birds do not seem to enjoy much sympathy in Switzerland. At the moment, the import of these goods into Switzerland is banned at ordinance level, whereas the motion tabled by Mathile Crevosier Crelier from the Social Democratic party would like to enshrine this stop at law level.

However, since we are in the middle of negotiations with the United States, now is not the right time to decide on the parliamentary act. There are still aspects to be clarified, such as the possible declaration obligation for these goods.

Although not exactly enthusiastic about this postponement request. Crevosier Crelier accepted the arguments of her colleague, although she is convinced that urgent action is needed on this issue, since the US – and the government is thinking of a possible relaxation of the ban – would like to export 1,500 tonnes of these chickens to our country, which the overwhelming majority of the population, according to surveys, does not want to see on their plates at all. A possibility that is also disliked by farmers and has also been met with suspicion by large retailers, he specified.

Although convinced that Stark’s request is not a delaying tactic, the Social Democrat nevertheless wanted to point out that any relaxation of the current ban would clash with European legislation and also with the food safety agreement that Switzerland and Brussels have negotiated.

Also during the session, the plenum also referred back to committee a motion by Flavia Wasserfallen from the Social Democratic party asking the government not to raise medicine prices in the context of the customs dispute with the US (prices that the US would like to be higher in Europe and lower in the US). In its written answer to the parliamentary motion, the government writes that it does not plan to increase the prices of medicines on the speciality list as a result of the various discussions on customs issues with the US.

Adapted from German by AI/jdp

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