📋 Tender Overview
{
detected_language: French,
translated_text: The Commission for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy of the Council of States (CEATE-E) supports the electricity agreement between Switzerland and the EU. A majority of the commission is convinced that this agreement significantly strengthens Switzerlands supply security and guarantees the necessary electricity imports. As part of its implementation in Switzerland, the commission wants to strengthen the basic supply and minimize the regulatory burden on the electricity sector. By 6 votes to 5 and 1 abstention, the CEATE-E proposes that the Council of States adopt the federal decree approving and implementing the agreement between Switzerland and the EU regarding electricity (26.023, project 2). It is convinced that the agreement strengthens supply security, especially during the winter months. As it indicated in its press release of June 23, 2026, the commission considers the agreement to be the best solution for integrating Switzerland into the European electricity market and for ensuring integrated cross-border network operation, despite its reservations regarding the concessions this entails on an institutional level. A minority proposes not to proceed with the project. By 8 votes to 4, the commission proposes that the people and the cantons vote on the electricity agreement - in addition to the mandatory referendum that the Council of States decided at the autumn session for the stabilization part of the Switzerland-EU package. Given the considerable repercussions of the agreement on the electricity sector in Switzerland, the CEATE-E believes that a double democratic legitimacy is justified. Additionally, the agreement provides for the dynamic adoption of EU law, which has significant institutional implications. A minority proposes, like the Federal Council, to submit the agreement to an optional referendum. The implementation of the electricity agreement requires adaptations to the electricity supply law, the energy law, and many other laws. The CEATE-E proposes to amend the Federal Councils project on several points. Basic Supply Like the Federal Council, the commission wants to accompany the opening of the electricity market with a regulated basic supply for households and consumption sites with an annual electricity consumption of less than 50 megawatt-hours (MWh). A minority proposes that the basic supply be opened to all end consumers with a maximum annual consumption of 100 MWh, so that small businesses, which are currently in the basic supply, can continue to benefit from it. The commission also proposes, by 8 votes to 4, that basic suppliers have the option, for any transition from basic supply to the free market, to request compensation, regardless of when this change occurs. The compensation related to the change must be transparently indicated and cannot include administrative fees. This measure aims to prevent customers who remain with the basic supplier from bearing the costs incurred by such changes. A minority proposes that the transition to the free market be free if it occurs at the end of a calendar year and that it be possible at any time. It believes that it is central, for the proper functioning of the electricity market, that the transition from basic supply to the free market is not hindered by disproportionate obstacles. The commission wishes to reduce the normative density in the basic supply. By 7 votes to 2 and 3 abstentions, it proposes that companies be free to decide to sell electricity (whether produced with their own facilities or purchased on the market) in the basic supply or on the market. A minority proposes adopting the Federal Councils version to protect customers in the basic supply from excessively high and highly fluctuating rates. Another minority wants the rates in the basic supply to reflect market prices more than the costs of making energy available. This proposal was rejected by 7 votes to 4 and 1 abstention. The commission also proposes, by 6 votes to 6, with the casting vote of its president, that ElCom may in the future only verify the rates in the basic supply from the perspective of their abusive nature. A minority further proposes that the standard product in the basic supply include a share of electricity from renewable energies of at least 80%. The majority, on the other hand, supports the Federal Councils proposal, which provides for a share of 50%. Removal of the Minimum Compensation By 6 votes to 6, with the casting vote of its president, the commission proposes to follow the Federal Councils proposal regarding the obligation of takeover and compensation provided for by the energy law. This particularly involves removing the minimum compensations guaranteed by law for electricity produced from renewable sources by installations with a maximum capacity of 150 kW. Current law stipulates that these costs are borne by the customers of the basic supply. However, according to the commission, this is incompatible with an open electricity market. The minority proposes to continue providing minimum compensations, for a limited duration until the end of 2035, which must apply when the average annual market prices are insufficient to cover the depreciation costs of the type of installation concerned. It proposes that the necessary financial resources for this purpose come from the fund financed by the surcharge, which also finances other support measures for renewable electricity production. Separation of Activities Regarding the rules applicable to large distribution network operators concerning the separation of activities, the commission proposes, by 10 votes to 1 and 1 abstention, to limit the separation to the sectors of electricity supply and electricity production. According to it, both the operation of the network and other units of the company should be able to continue using common cross-sectional services that do not pose a risk of market distortion. In the commissi
