Focused coordination in the cleantech sector
The Federal Council no longer wants to manage the Cleantech Master Plan as a separate strategy, but to continue the measures within the framework of other strategies.
Cleantech is a growing future market worldwide, in which many Swiss companies are increasingly able to position themselves successfully. The resource efficiency strategy adopted by the Federal Council in 2011 has contributed significantly to this. With its Cleantech Master Plan, the federal government has defined its role as a door opener to join forces and create synergies between the players from science, business, administration and politics. The implementation report, which the Federal Council took note of in May 2015, showed that this has been successful.
Following a renewed analysis of the situation, the Federal Council decided today to no longer pursue the Master Plan as a stand-alone strategy, but to continue the measures already underway within the framework of other existing strategies (including the Green Economy Report and the Sustainable Development Strategy). The Federal Office of Energy will remain the first point of contact for concerns in the cleantech sector and will assume the coordination function within the federal administration.
In May 2015, the Federal Council took note of the implementation report on the Cleantech Master Plan and instructed the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) and the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) to submit a proposal on how to proceed. To this end, the federal agencies involved have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the situation together with the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Economic Affairs (VDK).
Proven strategy
The analysis shows that the previous cleantech strategy has proven its worth and has triggered numerous activities at the public and private sector level. Most of the measures defined in 2011 have been successfully implemented. As an important principle for future work, it was again stated that the federal government must first and foremost ensure good framework conditions.
Against this background, the Federal Council concludes that an independent continuation of the Cleantech Master Plan is no longer necessary. The measures still underway can be addressed within the framework of other existing strategies.
The Federal Council continues to attach importance to a coordinated approach in the area of cleantech and has today assigned the coordinating role to DETEC (Federal Office of Energy). It will be informed again by the end of 2019 at the latest with an overall view of the current status of the work and will then decide on the further course of action.
(BR)
