National Council wants to reduce VAT rate for tampons and bandages
Silvia Hunziker
Tampons, bandages and panty liners are to become cheaper. The National Council wants to reduce the VAT rate for feminine hygiene products. Tacitly, on Friday, he tacitly accepted a motion by Neuchâtel SP National Councillor Jacques-André Maire. This will now go to the Council of States.
The Federal Council had requested the acceptance. Maire argues in his advance, the current VAT rates disadvantaged women. It is time to change the strange rules. If the Council of States also agrees, tampons, bandages and panty liners are defined as essential goods and are taxed at the reduced VAT rate of 2.5 percent.
Today the full VAT rate of 7.7 percent is levied on these articles. For products such as cut flowers or animal bedding, on the other hand, the reduced VAT rate of 2.5 percent applies.
Maire also referred to the rules in other countries in the written justification of the move. Several states would have exempted tampons and bandages from value added tax. The EU has relaxed its rules so that member states can introduce a reduced VAT rate for such products or exempt them completely from VAT.
The change would have only a minor impact on VAT revenues, Maire continued. Total revenues of CHF 22 billion would be reduced by an estimated CHF 10 to 15 million, or 0.5 per mille.
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