ASTAG does not want to stifle CO2 balance with LSVA increase

Thanks to rapid but costly modernization of vehicle fleets, the CO2 balance of the road transport industry is already quite good today. Further improvements through emission-free drive systems will follow shortly, as was clearly demonstrated at today’s general assembly of the Swiss commercial vehicle association ASTAG. However, the necessary investments would be made impossible by higher state levies. Therefore, ASTAG is focusing on continuity in the upcoming “further development” of the LSVA.

(Bern) The Swiss commercial vehicle association ASTAG is determined to intensify its successful efforts in favor of the environment and climate. Thanks to ongoing modernization, the vehicle fleets in the road transport industry are already up to date. 95 percent of all ton-kilometers are covered by trucks meeting EURO standards 5 and 6 – which reduces pollutant emissions to nearly zero. Fuel consumption and thus specific CO2 emissions per vehicle have also been continuously reduced in recent years. Many member companies are using vehicles with alternative drives (electric, hydrogen, CNG/LNG, biogas). Switzerland is considered a pioneer in Europe when it comes to replacing diesel trucks with the latest technologies.

Delegates’ Assembly in Brig

At today’s delegates’ assembly of ASTAG in Brig, central president Thierry Burkart looked confidently to the future. The transport of goods and passengers on the road with trucks, coaches, and taxis will continue to contribute actively to as climate- and environmentally-friendly logistics and mobility as possible. Thanks to efficiency gains and technological advances, it will be possible to meet the significantly increasing demand for transport services in the coming years with even fewer CO2 emissions. With “we go green!”, the voluntary action program of ASTAG in favor of the environment and climate, the industry is already on a good path. “CO2 reduction will even progress faster,” said Thierry Burkart: “Road transport is system-relevant, clean, and in the coming years also low-emission or even emission-free!”

Maintaining the readiness for innovation in the road transport industry

However, this requires that the previously extremely high readiness for innovation in the road transport industry is maintained, meaning: it should not be stifled by new state regulations and levies. Investments in vehicles with alternative drives – which are still significantly more expensive to purchase and operate – can only be made if the already record-high fiscal burden on road transport is not further increased. The planned “further development” of the performance-dependent heavy vehicle charge LSVA by the Federal Council will therefore be a major concern for ASTAG. “We are happy to work constructively on future-oriented solutions,” emphasized Thierry Burkart in a panel discussion with Peter Füglistaler, Director of the Federal Office of Transport BAV, National Councilor Jon Pult, President of the Alpine Initiative, and Josef Jäger, Director of Camion Transport Wil. “However, in light of the achievements for the environment and climate or LSVA revenues of 1.6 billion francs annually, we do not accept any tariff increases!”

Creation of an LSVA action fund

In the statutory part of the assembly, the approximately 120 representatives of the sections and specialist groups therefore already decided to create a special fund for a possible LSVA referendum campaign. Additionally, Christian Sieber was elected as the new vice president of ASTAG. He succeeds Josef Jäger, who retired after 14 years on the management committee (VA) and was appointed honorary member for his enormous contributions. Christian Rusterholz and Werner Zeier were newly elected to the VA. Paolo Naselli, Marc von Bergen, Massimo Fattorini, Christophe Pradervand, and Paolo Vismara were re-elected for another term.

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