📋 Tender Overview
Due to the deadlines, the Transport and Telecommunications Commission of the Council of States (CTT-E) conducted a preliminary review of five initiatives submitted by cantons in Eastern Switzerland. It formally responded to these initiatives, which it has therefore forwarded to its counterpart in the National Council for preliminary review. The commission will conduct a substantive review of transport projects next year as part of its discussions on the Federal Councils message Transport 45, which will allow it to examine them in a national context and from a global perspective.
The CTT-E resumed its review of the initiatives submitted by the cantons of Schaffhausen: Eastern Switzerland supports the second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel and the third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel (25.310); St. Gallen: Eastern Switzerland supports the third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel and the second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel (25.315); Thurgau: Eastern Switzerland supports the Lake Constance-Thur Valley road, the third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel, the second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel, and the N25 St. Gallen-Appenzell corridor (25.318); and Appenzell Innerrhoden: Eastern Switzerland supports the third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel and the second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel (25.321). This review began in January of this year. It also heard a delegation from the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden regarding its initiative: Appenzell Ausserrhoden: Third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel, including the freight station connection, and second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel. Resumption of projects as they are in the next federal order on the national road development stage (26.303). These five initiatives aim for various projects concerning Eastern Switzerland, which were part of the 2023 development stage rejected in the popular vote on November 24, 2024, to be included in the next stage of national road development. Specifically, this concerns the third tube of the Rosenberg tunnel (including the freight station connection) in St. Gallen, and the second tube of the Fasenstaub tunnel in Schaffhausen. All cantons in Eastern Switzerland had accepted these projects during the popular vote. Furthermore, in its initiative 25.318, the canton of Thurgau requests that the projects concerning the Lake Constance-Thur Valley road (N23) and the N25 St. Gallen-Appenzell corridor be integrated into the next stage of national road development. The commission recognizes the importance of these projects for transport policy in the cantons of Eastern Switzerland. At the same time, it notes that these initiatives are directly related to the next stage of development of the national road network, which Parliament will examine in detail next year as part of the Federal Councils Transport 45 project. The CTT-E insists that Parliament review the various transport projects from a global perspective and consider the cantons in a balanced manner when planning investments from the national road and urban traffic fund (FORTA). In light of these considerations, and given the deadlines (art. 116, para. 3bis, art. 109, para. 2, LParl), it unanimously decided to respond to the aforementioned five initiatives.
Relocation of jobs abroad by companies close to the Confederation
The commission examined the Chiesa motion 25.411 (Protection of jobs in Switzerland. Prohibit companies belonging to the Confederation from relocating jobs abroad), which the Council of States assigned to it for preliminary review. As part of its examination, it heard a delegation from Swiss Post, having already heard from Swisscom at its last meeting. The commission proposes, by 6 votes to 1 and 2 abstentions, to reject the motion, considering that it would unduly restrict the freedom of companies close to the Confederation. At the same time, the CTT-E expects these companies to transparently justify to the Confederation, as the owner, the relocations of jobs abroad.
Other decisions
By 6 votes to 3 and 1 abstention, the commission decided not to approve the CTT-N regarding initiative 26.402 (Entry into force of Article 45 of the Federal Road Traffic Act) submitted by the latter. This initiative aims for the implementation, decided by Parliament, of initiative 17.304 (For safer roads, measures now!) and the new art. 45 of the Federal Road Traffic Act, adopted by Parliament on October 1, 2021, to come into force on January 1, 2027, simultaneously with the corresponding ordinance amendments. According to art. 45, only heavy vehicles equipped with suitable driver assistance systems are allowed to circulate on the alpine transit routes. On April 2, 2025, the Federal Council decided, considering the results of the consultation regarding the implementation of this article and the significant progress made in vehicle modernization, to refrain from enforcing the provision. The commission emphasizes that road safety is a top priority and that the sector and all stakeholders strive to prevent accidents. Moreover, due to the technical advances made in recent years, almost all affected vehicles have been equipped or retrofitted with suitable driver assistance systems. Therefore, it would be disproportionate, in terms of cost-benefit analysis, to provide for large-scale control on the four alpine transit routes.
Furthermore, the commission took note of the report Implementation of soft mobility projects within the framework of agglomeration projects, which the Federal Council presented on June 20, 2025, in execution of postulate 22.4053 Maret of September 28, 2022. Finally, the CTT-E inquired with the SBB on how they calculate the punctuality of trains and connections in passenger transport.
