Federal Council reduces media fee to CHF 300 per year from 2029
Starting in 2029, the Federal Council will reduce the radio and television license fee for private households from 335 to 300 francs and will eliminate the fee for small and medium-sized enterprises as of 2027. It made this decision on Wednesday—despite widespread criticism during the consultation process.
Media Minister Albert Rösti is sticking to the plans he outlined at the beginning of November 2023. By lowering the radio and television fee, he wants to take the wind out of the sails of the popular initiative "200 francs is enough! (SRG initiative)" from SVP circles. This initiative wants to reduce the media levy to CHF 200 and exempt companies from the levy altogether.
The Federal Council rejects the petition for a referendum. "The SRG needs sufficient financial resources to be able to provide an equivalent journalistic offering in all language regions," it wrote on Wednesday. The consequences of the initiative for the SRG's offering and its anchoring in the language regions would be too serious.
Financial relief for households
However, the government also wants to ease the financial burden on households and companies. On the one hand, the Federal Council is gradually reducing the annual household tax - from CHF 335 to CHF 312 from 2027 and to CHF 300 from 2029. Secondly, around 80 percent of companies subject to VAT will be exempt from the levy from 2027 - the limit for paying the corporate levy will be increased from the current CHF 500,000 annual turnover to CHF 1.2 million.
The corresponding dispatch will now go to Parliament. It can decide for itself whether and - if so - how it wants to ease the financial burden on households and companies. An indirect counter-proposal at legislative level is conceivable, for example. In this way, the Councils could also override the Federal Council's decision, especially as the gradual tax reduction it has decided on will only take effect from 2027. (SDA)
