Metal and technical industry Guy Parmelin: Federal Council is not inactive in the steel crisis

SDA

16.11.2024 - 05:43

Economics Minister Guy Parmelin has commented on the situation in the steel industry in "Schweiz am Wochenende". (archive picture)
Economics Minister Guy Parmelin has commented on the situation in the steel industry in "Schweiz am Wochenende". (archive picture)
Keystone

Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin has commented on the situation in the Swiss steel industry following the job cuts at Swiss Steel. "The federal government cannot stop structural change with subsidies," said the Minister of Economic Affairs to "Schweiz am Wochenende".

Parmelin emphasized that the Federal Council does not pursue a targeted industrial policy for individual sectors such as the steel industry, even if other countries subsidize their steelworks. On the other hand, the federal government could provide support with business-friendly framework conditions and programmes, for example for decarbonization. Well over a billion Swiss francs will be made available next year for the phase-out of fossil fuels.

The ailing steel group Swiss Steel has announced the reduction of 800 jobs. In Switzerland, 130 of the current 750 jobs at the Emmenbrücke plant are to be cut, as Swiss Steel announced on Friday. The cuts will affect production and administrative areas.

"When jobs are lost, it's always a drama," Parmelin told "Schweiz am Wochenende". However, the Federal Council is not standing idly by. "We are using our legal scope for action, for example in the area of short-time work or with the aforementioned support programs." However, the consequences of the measures must also be considered. "What if another industry gets caught up in the crisis - will we pay too?"

Cooperation with Trump: "Cautiously optimistic"

Parmelin was also asked about the outcome of the US elections, among other things. Cooperation with the Trump administration had worked well between 2017 and 2021. He is cautiously optimistic about the second term of office in terms of economic and scientific cooperation.

The conditions for a possible free trade agreement with the USA are roughly the same as they were five years ago. Parmelin went on to say that the conditions on both sides were not sufficiently aligned.

SDA