Builders’ association welcomes EU negotiating mandate
The Swiss Federation of Master Builders supports the adopted negotiating mandate with the European Union. According to the association, orderly relations with the EU are key for Switzerland. Thanks to the Information System Allianz Bau (ISAB), the association believes that wage protection is guaranteed and calls for the consistent use of modern digital enforcement tools by building owners.
The construction industry is highly dependent on stable political and economic conditions. The Swiss Federation of Master Builders therefore emphasizes the importance of the adopted negotiating mandate with the European Union. Orderly relations with the EU are a basic prerequisite for Switzerland as a business location, the association emphasizes. At the same time, it makes it clear that wage protection is not an obstacle in the upcoming negotiations.
ISAB as a digital core instrument
The Information System Alliance Construction (ISAB) has been in use since 2019. A digital enforcement tool that ensures wage protection throughout the construction industry. The system combines three central components such as the ISAB portal, the joint CLA certificate and the ISAB Card.
ISAB is used to digitally check and monitor compliance with generally binding collective employment agreements. According to the SBC, the joint inspection alone carries out around 16,000 construction site inspections with ISAB every year. More than in almost any other sector. This means that wage and employee protection in the construction industry is particularly tightly meshed.
Clear stance towards trade unions
The SBC rejects the expansion of accompanying measures, as demanded by the trade unions. The current Posted Workers Act already offers a tried and tested instrument that prevents abusive undercutting of wage and working conditions. As this law is in line with the European Posting of Workers Directive, the association does not expect any resistance from the EU.
Responsibility of building owners
The SBC emphasizes that building owners, especially large public clients, bear a central responsibility. By consistently relying on the use of digital tools such as ISAB, they make a decisive contribution to combating undeclared work and ensuring fair working conditions. This sends out an important signal, especially in the current European political context.
Expensesregulation as an open question
While the SBC believes that wage protection is secured, the association still sees a need for clarification regarding the EU expenses regulation. The association is calling for an expenses regulation based on the place of performance principle, i.e. according to Swiss standards. This is the only way to prevent foreign companies from gaining an unjustified competitive advantage over Swiss providers through lower expense rates.
The SBC sees the adopted negotiating mandate as an opportunity to put relations between Switzerland and the EU on a stable footing. With the digital enforcement instrument ISAB, wage protection is guaranteed. A further expansion of the accompanying measures is not necessary. It is now crucial that clients assume their responsibility and implement digital solutions across the board. The association is calling for a clear solution in favor of fair competition when it comes to expense regulations.