National Council committee launches motion on newspaper transportation taxes
With the motion, the Commission is seeking a model that provides for financial participation by the federal government and Swiss Post.
The press should also be able to benefit from reduced postal taxes in the future. Because the Federal Council does not want to know anything about this, the National Council's State Policy Committee (SPK) has decided on an initiative to this effect, according to SDA. With the 2003 relief program, Parliament reduced the annual federal contribution to newspaper transport taxes from CHF 100 million to CHF 80 million and limited it to the end of 2007.
After an attempt by the National Council to directly subsidize the press failed in the Council of States, the Councillors passed a motion in March 2005 calling for the federal government to make a targeted contribution to distribution costs from 2008. In December, Media Minister Moritz Leuenberger said that the Federal Council would not comply with this "inconsistent" mandate.
In the opinion of the SPK, the Federal Council has focused one-sidedly on the finances and paid too little attention to the democratic aspects, as SDA further reports. With the motion, the Commission is seeking a model that provides for financial participation by the Confederation and Swiss Post. It still needs the approval of the SPK of the Council of States before it can get to work and assess possible solutions from a financial and democratic policy perspective.
Rudolf Joder (SVP/BE) withdrew his parliamentary initiative "Press diversity as an element for democratic opinion-forming" in favor of the Commission's proposal. He wanted to oblige Swiss Post to deliver subscribed newspapers and magazines at a preferential rate regardless of distance without federal contributions.
After an attempt by the National Council to directly subsidize the press failed in the Council of States, the Councillors passed a motion in March 2005 calling for the federal government to make a targeted contribution to distribution costs from 2008. In December, Media Minister Moritz Leuenberger said that the Federal Council would not comply with this "inconsistent" mandate.
In the opinion of the SPK, the Federal Council has focused one-sidedly on the finances and paid too little attention to the democratic aspects, as SDA further reports. With the motion, the Commission is seeking a model that provides for financial participation by the Confederation and Swiss Post. It still needs the approval of the SPK of the Council of States before it can get to work and assess possible solutions from a financial and democratic policy perspective.
Rudolf Joder (SVP/BE) withdrew his parliamentary initiative "Press diversity as an element for democratic opinion-forming" in favor of the Commission's proposal. He wanted to oblige Swiss Post to deliver subscribed newspapers and magazines at a preferential rate regardless of distance without federal contributions.
