Basel politicians are calling for more use of Swiss authorities for pharmaceutical location

Donald Trump’s medication decree worries the Basel region, which lives from the pharmaceutical industry. Basel politicians are now calling for better framework conditions for the Life Science industry.

The Basel region is currently in an upgrown mood because of the Eurovision Song Contest and the master celebrations of FCB. Donald Trump’s drug decree could have a devastating effect on northwestern Switzerland.

The region lives from the life science industry. The Roche company alone employs 12,000 people in Basel and in Kaiseraugst. 9000 people work for Novartis in Basel, Schweizerhalle and Stein. The suppliers also have many employees. The pharmaceutical companies and their employees nourish the state coffers with their taxes. In the Basel region, everything hangs on the chemical industry.

« Granting permits for medication takes too long »

Now the pharmaceutical prices in the USA are supposed to fall sharply. According to Patricia von Falkenstein, National Councilor of the Liberal Democrats, the serious consequences would have mainly for Basel-Stadt, due to drastically falling tax revenue and a reduction in jobs. However, it would be affected by the whole of Switzerland because the pharmaceutical is the most important export industry.

Councilor Eva Herzog (SP) was in the city canton of finance director from 2005 to 2020 and knows about the importance of the pharmaceutical industry for the region. “Basel is exposed, yes, but the region-and through federal taxes and financial equalization all of Switzerland-has benefited from the Life Science industry in the past few decades. We all have an interest in the fact that this stays that way, »says Herzog.

You have to wait and analyze the situation. What really changes for the pharmaceutical industry is not yet foreseeable. « Trump has so far triggered wave movements – which in this case comes out is unclear. »

What does the Stadtbasler government say? Economic director Kaspar Sutter (SP) explains: « Regardless of what President Trump announces or implements, as Switzerland and Basel-Stadt we have to ensure that we remain attractive as a research, development and production location. » It is important « a yes to the Basel location package (a cantonal reform), investments in our universities and universities, regulated relationships with the EU and an open labor market ».