Bakom: No solution yet for fee surplus
For some time now, there have been reports of a surplus of millions of francs in fees at the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM). The federal government is currently sitting on around 70 million in radio and TV fees that cannot be distributed due to a "legislative oversight". It has not yet been decided what will happen with the money.
In June of this year, SVP National Councillor Adrian Amstutz submitted a motion demanding that the entire amount be refunded to fee payers. Future surpluses should also be deducted from the fee bill in the following year. However, the Federal Council has now requested that the motion be rejected. The annual reimbursement would be far too expensive. Instead, the Federal Council wants to make the law more flexible so that between 3 and 5 percent of the fees can be distributed to private individuals in future. As far as the money already accumulated is concerned, it sees two possibilities: Either Billag pays the money back in the form of a one-off reduction in fees. Or it could be used to waive a possible future fee increase.
The Radio and TV Act (RTVA) stipulates that 4% of fee income must go to private broadcasters. The only problem is that OFCOM has never been able to distribute this amount of money, as a number of radio and TV stations do not reach the legally required self-financing level of 20 to 50 percent due to economic difficulties. As a result, the fees are being reduced. Especially in 2007 and 2008, when most of the licenses had not yet been granted, the money accumulated rapidly. Matthias Ramsauer, Deputy Director at the Federal Office of Communications, is quoted by the Tagesanzeiger newspaper as saying that this figure is now likely to be around 70 million.
The Radio and TV Act (RTVA) stipulates that 4% of fee income must go to private broadcasters. The only problem is that OFCOM has never been able to distribute this amount of money, as a number of radio and TV stations do not reach the legally required self-financing level of 20 to 50 percent due to economic difficulties. As a result, the fees are being reduced. Especially in 2007 and 2008, when most of the licenses had not yet been granted, the money accumulated rapidly. Matthias Ramsauer, Deputy Director at the Federal Office of Communications, is quoted by the Tagesanzeiger newspaper as saying that this figure is now likely to be around 70 million.
