(as of Mai 2012)
Education, Continuing Education and Training, Research and Innovation
In its dispatch of 22 February 2012 on the Promotion of Education, Research and Innovation 2012-2016 (12.033 s ), the Federal Council set out its policy for promoting education, research and innovation for the coming four years and requested parliament to provide CHF 26 billion in funding for this purpose. This sum includes the funds reserved for the EU Framework Programmes on research and education.
The Council of States Science, Education and Culture Committee (SECC-S) handled this proposal as Committee of the first chamber. It first held hearings with representatives from institutions and organisations which will be affected by the implementation of the eleven federal decrees. A majority in the SECC-S shared the opinion of many of those taking part in the hearings and decided that the federal decrees on funding should foresee a constant annual rate of increase in funding for the Swiss Institutes of Technology, universities, universities of applied science, Swiss National Science Foundation and the Commission for Technology and Innovation. Budget equalisation and additional funds of 292.2 million francs should allow these institutions more certainty in their planning. Furthermore, these educational establishments should be provided with the means to cover the additional costs created by the rising number of students. The Committee also recommends that the Council of States reject the request to amend the Federal Act on the Universities of Applied Sciences. Article 8 paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Federal Act on the Universities of Applied Sciences should remain in force until the new Federal Act on Higher Education (HEA) comes into effect, as Article 78 of this Act covers the issue of title protection at universities of applied sciences. The bill will be debated in the Council of States during the 2012 summer session.
On 9 November 2011 the Federal Council referred the completely revised Research and Innovation Promotion Act (11.069 n) to parliament. One of the aims of the bill is to harmonise research promotion with the Higher Education Bill recently approved by parliament and to create the legal basis for supporting a national innovation park. A majority of the SECC in the National Council, the first chamber to deal with this bill, approved the Federal Council draft and in particular were in favour of setting up a Swiss innovation park. The Committee asked for a further detail to be added to the Act, namely that any future innovation park should be located in at least two places, so that the balance between the regions can be preserved. On 14 March 2012 the National Council approved this request. The Council of States Committee will debate the bill during the summer session.
When the Culture Promotion Act came into effect on 1 January 2012, the funding previously provided to continuing education and training umbrella organisations was withheld. During the debate on the ERI dispatch 2012 (10.109), both chambers decided to put aside 0.9 million francs of funding to be spent by these umbrella associations on vocational education and training. However, this money was not released as the legal basis is insufficient. The Federal Act on Support for Continuing Education and Training Umbrella Associations for 2012 (12.015 sn), rapidly approved by both chambers during the 2012 spring session, will permit the temporary financial support of umbrella associations for non-vocational continuing adult education for 2012. At the same time, the bill answers the motion proposed by the Council of States (Gutzwiller) entitled ‘Übergangsfinanzierung für die Dachverbände der Weiterbildung’ – Bridge financing for continuing education and training umbrella associations (11.3180 s).
Child and youth policy
During the 2011 autumn session, both chambers approved the revised Child and Youth Promotion bill (10.087 s). During discussions on this draft bill, both SECCs were of the opinion that the question of whether to create a constitutional basis for further youth protection measures should be looked into. For this reason, both SECCs accepted the parliamentary initiative submitted by Viola Amherd entitled ‘Constitutional basis for a Federal Act on Child and Youth Promotion and Child and Youth Protection’ (07.402 n). The SECC-N instructed a sub-committee to draw up proposals for a constitutional basis. The sub-committee will present its results to the SECC-N in autumn 2012.
Sport
The Federal Council dispatch to parliament of 22.2.2012 on Sports Facilities of National Importance, Financial Aid (NASAK 4) (12.032) stemmed from a committee proposal submitted by the SECC-N. The Federal Council was charged with presenting a proposal for the support of sports facilities of national importance. The Federal Council’s version proposes providing CHF 50 million for investment in selected sports facilities. The Confederation has previously allocated a total of CHF 84 million under dispatches NASAK 1-3, of which CHF 68 million has been released.
The SECC-N discussed the dispatch and there was general agreement that top-level sport makes an important contribution to sport in general and investment in sports centres sends a necessary and important signal for sport in Switzerland. The need to expand existing facilities and invest in a competitive sports infrastructure was not questioned. The current dispatch foresees supporting ten specific projects approved by a majority of the Committee.
The Committee recommends that the chamber approve an increase in funding of CHF 20 million to a total of CHF 70 million. The Federal Council will be in charge of distributing the additional money. At its own discretion it can award money to planned or new projects. A minority recommends the Federal Council version, which does not propose any increase in funding. The bill will be debated in the National Council during the summer session.
Culture
The federal popular initiative "youth + music" (09.095 n) intends to promote musical education in schools and extra-curricular activities. It was submitted on 18 December 2008 with 153,626 valid signatures. Although the Federal Council recognises the value to society of musical education, it rejects the initiative on the grounds that it gives the Confederation powers in drawing up framework legislation for musical instruction in schools which encroach on the autonomy of the cantons in educational matters. The SECC of the National Council, the first chamber to discuss this bill, decided to accept the initiative in view of the value accorded to musical instruction. The National Council accepted the Committee’s majority proposal. There was no majority in favour of the initiative in the Council of States, which shared the view of the Federal Council. However, this chamber agreed to the counter proposal put forward by the Committee majority for a music promotion programme which takes account of cantonal responsibilities. During the resolution of differences, the focus was therefore on Article 67a paragraph 1bis. The Council of States approved the minority proposal calling for the Confederation’s powers to be expanded to enable it to issue regulations if agreement cannot otherwise be reached on the objectives of musical instruction in schools.
The authors of the initiative undertook to withdraw their initiative should the counter-proposal be accepted in the Council of States and National Council versions. In the 2012 spring session, there was agreement between the National Council and the Council of States regarding both the counter-proposal and the initiative. As a result of this decision, the initiative was withdrawn on 25 March 2012.
Animal and species protection
On 7 September 2011 the Federal Council submitted three proposals regarding animal and species protection and animal health to parliament:
11.058 n Protected animal and plant species. Federal Act (BGCITES)
In this piece of legislation, significant provisions for implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are now established in federal law. Both chambers adopted the Federal Council version and approved the bill in the final vote of the 2012 spring session (BBl 2012 3465).
11.059 n Epizootic Diseases Act. Amendment:
This Act makes it possible to react more rapidly to outbreaks of epizootic and zoonotic diseases and also foresees the introduction of improved preventive measures. Debates in both Committees raised the issue of harmonising funding for programmes to combat epizootic disease on a national scale. Both Committees requested their chambers to establish a financing provision to this effect in the Epizootic Diseases Act, and a corresponding legal basis was created in Art. 31a (new). This gives the Federal Council the power to levy a fee from animal owners for programmes of limited term.
In establishing these programmes, the Federal Council can regulate the fees levied and any remuneration for services provided by third parties under the individual programmes. It also considers what portion of the costs will be covered by fees collected from animal owners and what proportion should be met by the cantons, and the benefits of the programme for animal health, human health and the economy. This bill was also accepted by both chambers in the final vote of the 2012 spring session (BBl 2012 3457).
11.060 s Animal Protection Act. Amendment
This bill was well received in both SECCs and the amendment proposals made by the Federal Council were welcomed, since the dignity of animals and their welfare continue to be accorded considerable importance. Additions were made to Article 20a (new), which foresees improved and more transparent information on animal experiments. The Federal Council establishes what information is required from the persons responsible for animal experiments. In this, overriding private and public interests must be considered. Both chambers also approved the SECC-N’s committee proposal and the regulation of transit of slaughter animals through Switzerland, currently at ordinance level, was established in the Animal Protection Act (Art. 15). The two chambers still disagree over whether or not a ban on the import of dolphins and whales should be established in law (Art. 7 para. 3). This difference should be settled in the 2012 summer session so that this bill can also be approved.