Palm oil to remain part of free trade talks despite opposition
Malaysia and Indonesia account for more than 80% of the palm oil consumed in the world
Keystone
The Swiss Senate has narrowly voted against proposals to exclude palm from any free trade agreement with Malaysia and Indonesia.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-ATS/ac
On Tuesday, the Senate narrowly rejected initiatives proposed by the cantons of Geneva and Thurgau, as well as a motion by the conservative right People’s Party politician Jean-Pierre Grin to keep palm oil off the table during free trade negotiations. The House of Representatives had passed the motion in spring.
A total ban on palm oil and its derivatives would lead to the failure of negotiations with these two countries, the senators said. On the other hand, the Senate narrowly adopted a committee motion proposing not to grant any concessions for palm oil that would adversely affect Swiss oil seed production. It also instructed the government to include in any free trade agreement specific provisions regarding the sustainable production and trade in palm oil, as well as to participate in the development of international standards. The text will now go to the House of Representatives for approval. On Tuesday, the Swiss Farmer’s Union had also reiterated its opposition to palm oil imports.
Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of palm oil, after Indonesia and supplies nearly 50% of Swiss imports. Malaysia and Indonesia account for more than 80% of the palm oil consumed in the world.
Switzerland imports between 30,000 and 40,000 tonnes of palm oil every year. Between 80% to 90% of these imports are destined for the food industry and are used to make biscuits, pasta and even instant soup.
More
More
Cantons want palm oil off the table in Indonesia and Malaysia free trade talks
This content was published on
Exercising its right of cantonal initiative, Geneva canton’s parliamentarians voted unanimously for a resolution to this effect. Around sixty deputies have signed the text. Christina Meissner, an independent parliamentarian and the first signatory, called attention to the catastrophic environmental and social consequences of oil palm plantations on Friday. She also denounced the potential repercussions of…
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Is the sustainable palm oil label on a slippery slope?
This content was published on
A recent spat between Swiss food giant Nestlé and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) highlights a growing rift over certification.
This content was published on
Bread for All and the Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund said Swiss financial institutions were among those approached by palm oil businesses looking for capital for new plantations. However, setting up these new plantations repeatedly involves violating human rights and environmental standards, the NGOs said on Tuesday. Environmental campaigners in Switzerland and other countries have focused…
This content was published on
Swiss public television’s (SRF) Rundschau programme has revealed that some Swiss dairy farmers feed their cows palm oil supplements to boost milk production. Whilst there is nothing illegal about the practice, it does contradict efforts of the farming lobby to have palm oil imports curbed. The lobbying efforts, coordinated with environmental organisations, are designed to…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.