A counter-project to the SSR initiative wants to exempt firms from radio- royalties – rts.ch

A counter-project to the SSR initiative wants to exempt firms from radio- royalties – rts.ch
A counter-project to the SSR initiative wants to exempt firms from radio-TV royalties – rts.ch

Swiss companies must be completely exempt from the radio- license fee, believes the telecommunications commission of the National Council. She made this proposal in a counter-project to the initiative for a fee of 200 francs, known as the “SSR initiative”.

The radio-TV license fee, currently set at 335 francs per year, must increase to 200 francs per year, demands the popular initiative “200 francs, that’s enough! (SSR initiative)” of the UDC, the Swiss Union of arts and crafts and Young PLR. The text also calls for exempting all companies.

>> Read about it: The initiative for a fee of 200 francs was submitted in Bern

Unlike the Federal Council, the Telecommunications Commission of the National Council is in favor of this complete exemption. By 13 votes to 12, she tabled a parliamentary initiative to this effect, which should serve as an indirect counter-proposal to the SSR initiative, Parliament services indicated on Tuesday.

The commission text specifies that broadcasters of radio and television programs with a concession accompanied by a performance mandate are entitled to a share of the proceeds from the royalty at least equivalent to the amount which was provided for before entry into force. force of the law repealing the business fee.

The parliamentary initiative also provides for a reduction in the fee for households and an expansion of the powers of the Independent Authority for the Examination of Radio and Television Complaints (AIEP). It also calls for an obligation of cooperation between the SSR and private providers, in particular in the field of sports rights, as well as the inclusion of the principle of subsidiarity.

Three proposals rejected

On the other hand, the committee rejected two other indirect counter-proposals, respectively by 17 votes to 8 and 20 votes to 2, with 3 abstentions. The first wanted to include the current amount of the fee in the law.

The second wanted to generally exempt companies from the fee and compensate for the resulting losses for the SSR by adapting the fee for households. These losses amount to more than 170 million francs compared to 2025, according to the commission.

By 9 votes to 16, the commission again rejected a proposal for a direct counter-project which provided for the financing of radio and television by an independent fund supplied by VAT. She believes that an increase in VAT is not a viable option, given that such increases are already under discussion, particularly in the areas of social security and defense.

A minority finds that this proposal would be a good response to the initiative. Low- and middle-income households as well as all businesses would be relieved, without the public media service being weakened.

Fee of 300 francs by 2029

The corresponding committee at the Council of States should rule again this month on the broad outlines of the parliamentary initiative. If it gives the green light, a project should be able to be developed by February.

The government positioned itself last June against the popular initiative, believing that it went too far. However, he conceded that it was necessary to ease the financial burden on households and businesses.

The Federal Council is proposing to increase the radio-TV license fee to 300 francs by 2029. The turnover allowing an exemption for businesses is also revised upwards, from 500,000 francs to 1.2 million.

>> Reread: The radio-TV license fee will increase to 300 francs by 2029, confirms the Federal Council

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