Swiss Govt Rejects Constitutional Plan To Ban Foie Gras, Fur Imports

Geneva: The Swiss government said on Thursday that it opposed proposals to constitutionally ban imports of foie gras and fur from mistreated animals, but the Swiss people will still vote in a referendum.

The government said in a statement after a meeting that it had offered counterproposals to two initiatives put forward by the Swiss Animal Alliance that it acknowledged were "understandable" from an animal welfare point of view.

Both counterproposals modify the law, rather than the constitution as put forward by the Alliance which has collected enough signatures to hold a referendum. No date has yet been set for the "popular initiative" vote.

The government proposed a compulsory declaration for products derived from force-feeding, so that consumers would be "aware that they are buying a product obtained by methods prohibited in Switzerland".

Force-feeding domestic poultry has been banned in Switzerland for more than 40 years so products derived from the practice and sold in the Alpine country are all imported.

The government also suggested that a ban on the import of fur products from mistreated animals be put in the Federal Animal Protection Act. A bill will be presented to Parliament by mid-2025, it said.

"Although fur has been subject to compulsory declaration for around 10 years, the fur industry and retail trade do not always comply with the regulations," the statement read.

It said that in 2023 Swiss authorities "challenged labelling" in about 70 percent of outlets inspected.

The government also suggested changes to the labelling of imports include declaring animal products obtained without anaesthetic or plant-based products made with products classified as dangerous.

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