./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.426
18 August 1998
(98-3253)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  SWITZERLAND
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Office of Energy
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Non-renewable energies (oil,
gas, coal and nuclear energy)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy Tax Decree
6. Description of content:  On 15 June 1998, the Swiss National Council passed an Energy Tax
Decree, which is now in a consultation procedure and will then have to pass the second
Chamber of Parliament.
A tax of 0.6 centimes per kilowatt-hour shall be raised on non-renewable energies
(oil, gas, coal and nuclear energy).  The tax will be gradually increased to 0.6 centimes per
kilowatt-hour over a period of six years;  it  will be raised for another 19 years or until
certain conditions are fulfilled.  Energy-intensive industries can be exempted of up 80 per
cent of the tax.
The proceeds of the tax (about Sw F 800m per year) will go into a special fund.  At
least a quarter of the total yearly revenues shall be used to support:
- Renewable energies;
- technologies for rational use of energy;
- hydropower installations.
The fourth quarter can be distributed among these categories by decision of the
Federal Council.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:
Reduction of the consumption of non-renewable energies and promotion of the rational use
of energy and the renewable energies.
8. Relevant documents:G/TBT/Notif.98.426
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: } At the beginning of 2000
10. Final date for comments:  16 October 1998
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
the other body: