Switzerland: Motion: The Federal Council is responsible for amending the legislation to allow the sale of all types of light bulbs in Switzerland

18.4043 MOTION The Federal Council is responsible for amending the legislation to allow the sale of all types of light bulbs in Switzerland

This is an unofficial translation from French.

Introduced by:
ESTERMANN YVETTE on 28 September 2018 to the National Council

Status of deliberations:

Not yet dealt with by the Council

The Federal Council is responsible for amending the legislation to allow the sale of all types of light bulbs in Switzerland

DEVELOPMENT

The consumer must be able to decide for himself how he wishes to equip and light his private premises. Generally, he chooses a healthy, warm and safe light. A free and independent country like Switzerland should be able to offer a range of light bulbs. However, it is the State that decides which bulbs can be used.

Conventional and safe halogen and incandescent bulbs must continue to be sold, but they should be sold at a higher price for the environment. Mercury-containing energy saving bulbs, however, are allowed in Switzerland, as are LEDs, which are dangerous to health and emit strong blue light. Citizens concerned about environmental issues are therefore surprised by this situation, as the long-term effects of these bulbs have not been studied. By adopting EU rules, the Federal Council is thus limiting the rights of Swiss consumers. Recently, the owner of a store in St. Gallen even had to pay a fine of 1000 francs for selling the rest of his stock of incandescent bulbs.

Not all prohibitions are necessarily appropriate. On this subject, I personally have the impression that I have taken a step back in time and returned to the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, when the socialist government was telling its citizens what to do and what to think!

COMPETENT AUTHORITY

Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC)

PRIORITY COUNCIL

National Council

CO-SIGNATORIES (3)

CLOTTU RAYMOND FLÜCKIGER-BÄNI SYLVIA GOLAY ROGER

AREAS (2)

Economy
Energy

Original motion in French:
https://www.parlament.ch/fr/ratsbetrieb/suche-curia-vista/geschaeft?AffairId=20184043