Federal administration of Switzerland
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The federal administration of Switzerland (german: Bundesverwaltung, french: Administration fédérale, it, Amministrazione federale, rm, Administraziun federala) is the ensemble of agencies that constitute, together with the
Swiss Federal Council The Federal Council (german: Bundesrat; french: Conseil fédéral; it, Consiglio federale; rm, Cussegl federal) is the executive body of the federal government of the Swiss Confederation and serves as the collective head of state and governm ...
, the executive branch of the Swiss federal authorities. The administration is charged with executing federal law and preparing draft laws and policy for the Federal Council and the Federal Assembly. The administration consists of seven federal departments and the Federal Chancellery. The departments are roughly equivalent to the ministries of other states, but their scope is generally broader. Each department consists of several federal offices, which are headed by a
director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...
, and of other agencies. The much smaller Federal Chancellery, headed by the Federal Chancellor, operates as an eighth department in most respects.


Federal Council

The administration in its entirety is directed by the
Swiss Federal Council The Federal Council (german: Bundesrat; french: Conseil fédéral; it, Consiglio federale; rm, Cussegl federal) is the executive body of the federal government of the Swiss Confederation and serves as the collective head of state and governm ...
, and the Federal Council and the administration are subject to parliamentary oversight by the Federal Assembly. Each member of the Federal Council is also, in his or her individual capacity, the head of one of the seven departments. The Federal Council has the sole authority to decide on the size and composition of the departments, and to make all executive decisions that are not delegated by law to an individual department, or to the Chancellery. The Council also decides which department its members are appointed to lead, although it is customary that Councillors choose their preferred department in order of seniority. The absence of hierarchic leadership within the Council has caused the departments to acquire a very considerable autonomy, to the extent that the federal executive has been characterised as "seven co-existing departmental governments."


Size

From 1954 to 1990, roughly two percent of Switzerland's resident population were federal employees. This percentage has since declined due to
army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
cutbacks and the partial privatisation of federal enterprises such as PTT (now Swisscom and
Swiss Post Swiss Post (french: La Poste suisse, it, La Posta Svizzera, german: Die Schweizerische Post, rm, La Posta Svizra) is the national postal service of Switzerland. A public company owned by the Swiss Confederation, it is the country's second lar ...
). As of 2008, the Confederation employed some 102,000 people, all but 32,000 of which were working for federal enterprises such as the Post and the Swiss Federal Railways.


Development

After the founding of the Swiss federal state in 1848, the Federal Council and its handful of officials took up residence in the ''
Erlacherhof The Erlacherhof is a town mansion on the Junkerngasse No. 47 in the Old City of Bern, Switzerland, only a few steps away from the Béatrice-von-Wattenwyl-Haus. The Erlacherhof is the most representative patrician town mansion in Bern. It is th ...
'' in
Berne Bern () or Berne; in other Swiss languages, gsw, Bärn ; frp, Bèrna ; it, Berna ; rm, Berna is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city" (in german: Bundesstadt, link=no, french: ville fédérale ...
. The entire administrative staff consisted of 80 persons in 1849, while the postal service had 2,591 officials and the customs service 409. The first dedicated administrative building, now the western wing of the '' Bundeshaus'', was completed in 1857. The number of departments and Federal Councillors has been constitutionally fixed at seven since 1848. The number of the departments' subordinate entities, which are constituted by statute – generally as "federal offices" after the 1910s – has grown substantially in step with the expanding role of the state in the 20th century, even though some have been merged or abolished. A 1964 government reform made the Federal Chancellery into the general staff unit of the Federal Council, and created General Secretariats as departmental staff units. A 1978 statute granted the title of secretary of state to the holders of two (later three) directoral posts whose functions require independent interaction with foreign authorities. Since the 1990s,
New Public Management New Public Management (NPM) is an approach to running public service organizations that is used in government and public service institutions and agencies, at both sub-national and national levels. The term was first introduced by academics in the ...
models have been experimentally introduced; twelve offices are now run with autonomous budgets.


Location

The seat of the federal authorities, including almost all of the administration, is
Berne Bern () or Berne; in other Swiss languages, gsw, Bärn ; frp, Bèrna ; it, Berna ; rm, Berna is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city" (in german: Bundesstadt, link=no, french: ville fédérale ...
. The departments and offices are located in the east and west wings of the ''Bundeshaus'' and in numerous buildings in or close to the
city center A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
. In the 1990s, some offices were moved to other parts of the country, in part to aid economic development of these regions. Also, some federal authorities have field offices in other cities.


Organisation and responsibilities


Federal Chancellery

The
Swiss Federal Chancellery The Federal Chancellery of Switzerland is a department-level agency of the federal administration of Switzerland. It is the staff organisation of the federal government, the Federal Council. Since 2016, it has been headed by Federal Chancello ...
is the staff organisation of the Federal Council and the federal administration. As of 2016, it is headed by Federal Chancellor
Walter Thurnherr Walter Thurnherr (born 11 July 1963) is a Swiss government official who has served as Chancellor of Switzerland since 2016. Although he holds a traditionally nonpartisan office, he was elected as a member of the Christian Democratic People's P ...
( CVP/PDC). It is composed of several sectors, the Federal Chancellery sector headed directly by the incumbent Chancellor, while the other two sectors are led by the Vice-Chancellors, the Federal Council sector by
Viktor Rossi Viktor Rossi (born 31 October 1968 in Bern) is a Swiss politician and civil servant. A member of the Green Liberal Party, he became Vice-Chancellor of Switzerland on 1 May 2019. Biography Rossi attended primary and secondary school in the canton ...
, and the information and communications sector by
André Simonazzi André Simonazzi (born 1968) is a Swiss journalist born in Monthey. He currently holds the office of Vice Chancellor and spokesman for the Swiss Federal Council, since April 2009. Simonazzi attended thCollège de l’Abbayein St. Maurice, where ...
. For administrative purposes, the
Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner french: Préposé fédéral à la protection des données et à la transparence it, Incaricato federale della protezione dei dati e della trasparenza , logo = Logo der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft.svg , logo_width = 300px , lo ...
(FDPIC) is affiliated to the Chancellery. The
Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner french: Préposé fédéral à la protection des données et à la transparence it, Incaricato federale della protezione dei dati e della trasparenza , logo = Logo der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft.svg , logo_width = 300px , lo ...
is responsible for the supervision of federal authorities and private bodies with respect to
data protection Information privacy is the relationship between the collection and dissemination of data, technology, the public expectation of privacy, contextual information norms, and the legal and political issues surrounding them. It is also known as data pr ...
and
freedom of information legislation Freedom of information laws allow access by the general public to data held by national governments and, where applicable, by state and local governments. The emergence of freedom of information legislation was a response to increasing dissatisfa ...
.


Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

The
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA, german: Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten, french: Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, it, Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri, rm, ), so name ...
(FDFA) is Switzerland's ministry of foreign affairs. As of 2019, it is headed by
Ignazio Cassis Ignazio Daniele Giovanni Cassis (; born 13 April 1961) is a Swiss physician and politician who has served as President of the Swiss Confederation since 1 January 2022. A member of FDP. The Liberals, he has been a Member of the Swiss Federal Cou ...
( FDP/PRD). It is composed of the General Secretariat and of the State Secretariat, which in turn is composed of the following directorates and agencies: * Directorate of Political Affairs: Led by the Secretary of State, responsible for coordinating Swiss foreign policy and administering Swiss foreign missions. *
Directorate of Corporate Management Directorate may refer to: Contemporary *Directorates of the Scottish Government * Directorate-General, a type of specialised administrative body in the European Union * Directorate-General for External Security, the French external intelligence ag ...
(DCM): Manages the Department's human and financial resources and provides legal advice. *
Directorate of Public International Law Directorate may refer to: Contemporary *Directorates of the Scottish Government * Directorate-General, a type of specialised administrative body in the European Union * Directorate-General for External Security, the French external intelligence a ...
(DPIL): Responsible for the study and application of
public international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
. * Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC): Engages in
development cooperation Development aid is a type of foreign/international/overseas aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social, and political development of developing countries. Closely-related concepts include: developm ...
and provides humanitarian aid. *Protocol section: Responsible for diplomatic protocol, ceremony and precedence. *Integration office: Operated jointly with the FDEA and responsible for coordinating Switzerland's policy on Europe. *
Presence Switzerland Presence Switzerland (German: '; French: ') is an official Swiss organisation and part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which aims is to promote Swiss interests. The organisation's name is not to be confused with Switzerland Touris ...
: Responsible for promoting Switzerland abroad.


Federal Department of Home Affairs

The
Federal Department of Home Affairs The Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA, , french: Département fédéral de l'intérieur, links=no, , rm, ) is a department of the federal administration of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss ministry of the interior. As of 2012, it is ...
(FDHA) is Switzerland's
ministry of the Interior An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministr ...
. As of 2019, it is headed by Alain Berset ( SP/PS). It is composed of the following offices: *General Secretariat * Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE): Responsible for
gender equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...
matters. *
Federal Office of Culture The Federal Office of Culture (FOC) is an administrative unit of the Federal Department of Home Affairs, based in Bern, Switzerland. The agency has two extensive areas of responsibility: promoting Swiss culture and preserving the country’s ...
(FOC): Responsible for national heritage preservation, archaeology, the federal art collections, the
Swiss National Library The Swiss National Library (german: Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, french: Bibliothèque nationale suisse, it, Biblioteca nazionale svizzera, rm, Biblioteca naziunala svizra) is the national library of Switzerland. Part of the Federal Office ...
, the
Swiss National Museum The Swiss National Museum (german: Landesmuseum)—part of the ''Musée Suisse Group'', itself affiliated with the Federal Office of Culture, is located in the city of Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, next to the Hauptbahnhof. The museum bu ...
and affiliated museums, as well as the support and promotion of Swiss culture. *
Swiss National Library The Swiss National Library (german: Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, french: Bibliothèque nationale suisse, it, Biblioteca nazionale svizzera, rm, Biblioteca naziunala svizra) is the national library of Switzerland. Part of the Federal Office ...
: The
national library A national library is a library established by a government as a country's preeminent repository of information. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, or significant wo ...
of Switzerland. * Swiss Federal Archives: The national archives of Switzerland. * Swiss Meteorological Institute (MeteoSwiss): The national weather services. *
Federal Office of Public Health The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is the Swiss federal government’s centre for public health and a part of the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs. In addition to developing national health policy, it also represents the inte ...
(FOPH): Responsible for
public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
at the federal level, including disease prevention,
epidemiology Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evide ...
, substance abuse, food safety, noise and radiation protection, regulation of chemicals and toxic products, stem cell research,
bioterrorism Bioterrorism is terrorism involving the intentional release or dissemination of biological agents. These agents are bacteria, viruses, insects, fungi, and/or toxins, and may be in a naturally occurring or a human-modified form, in much the same ...
and health and accident insurance. * Federal Statistical Office (FSO): Compiles and publishes statistical information for use by the government, the economy and scientific research. * Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO): Regulates the Swiss
social insurance Social insurance is a form of social welfare that provides insurance against economic risks. The insurance may be provided publicly or through the subsidizing of private insurance. In contrast to other forms of social assistance, individuals' ...
and system, including old age and survivors' insurance, invalidity insurance, supplementary benefits, occupational pension funds, income compensation for people on national service and for women on maternity leave as well as family allowances in the agricultural sector. * State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER): Responsible for
higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after comple ...
and research at the federal level. The following independent authorities are affiliated to the FDHA for administrative purposes: *ETH Board and the ETH Domain: The system of federal technical universities and research institutes, including the ETH Zurich, the EPFL Lausanne, the
Paul Scherrer Institute The Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is a multi-disciplinary research institute for natural and engineering sciences in Switzerland. It is located in the Canton of Aargau in the municipalities Villigen and Würenlingen on either side of the River ...
, the
Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL, German: ''Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft'', French: ''Institut fédéral de recherches sur la forêt, la neige et le paysage'') is a Swi ...
, the
Federal Laboratory for Materials Testing and Research The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa, German acronym for ''Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt'') is an interdisciplinary Swiss research institute for applied materials sciences and tech ...
and the
Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology The Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag, German acronym for ''Eidgenössische Anstalt für Wasserversorgung, Abwasserreinigung und Gewässerschutz'') is a Swiss water research institute and an internationally network ...
. *Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (
Swissmedic The Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) is the Swiss surveillance authority for medicines and medical devices, registered in Bern. It began operations on 1 January 2002 as successor of ''Interkantonale Kontrollstelle für Heilmittel ...
): Certification and supervisory authority for drugs and other medical products.


Federal Department of Justice and Police

The
Federal Department of Justice and Police The Federal Department of Justice and Police (german: Eidgenössisches Justiz- und Polizeidepartement, french: Département fédéral de justice et police, it, Dipartimento federale di giustizia e polizia, rm, ) is one of the seven departmen ...
is Switzerland's
ministry of justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...
. As of 2019, it is headed by
Karin Keller-Sutter Karin Keller-Sutter (born 22 December 1963) is a Swiss politician who has served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2019. A member of FDP.The Liberals, she is the head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police. Keller-Sutter p ...
( FDP/PRD). It is composed of the following offices and institutes: *General Secretariat * Federal Office of Justice (FOI): Responsible for providing legal advice to the administration, preparing general legislation, supervising government registers and collaborating on international
judicial assistance Judicial Assistance is the admittance and enforcement of a judicial order or request by a court from one jurisdiction to a court in another jurisdiction. Such admittance sometimes requires a treaty between the governments of the two jurisdictions. ...
. *
Federal Office of Police The Federal Office of Police (Fedpol, german: Bundesamt für Polizei, french: Office fédéral de la police, it, Ufficio federale di polizia, rm, Uffizi federal da polizia) of Switzerland is subject to the Federal Department of Justice and P ...
(fedpol): Responsible for intercantonal and international information, coordination and analysis in internal security matters. It also operates the domestic intelligence service (
Service for Analysis and Prevention The Swiss intelligence community is a group of agencies with responsibilities to protect the interests and infrastructure of Switzerland. History The first federal military secret service was established in 1937-1939 as Büro Ha by Hans ...
SAP), and the Federal Criminal Police (FCP), which investigates crimes subject to federal jurisdiction. * Federal Office for Migration (FOM): Responsible for matters relating to foreign nationals and asylum seekers. * Federal Office of Metrology (METAS): Provides calibration and accreditation services, supervises the use of measuring instruments and provides training in metrology. *
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (French: ''Institut fédéral de la propriété intellectuelle'', IPI; German: ''Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum'', IGE; Italian: ''Istituto federale della proprietà intellet ...
(IIP): Registration authority for
patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A ...
s,
trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...
s and industrial design. * Swiss Institute of Comparative Law (SICL): Provides consultancy services on issues of
comparative law Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the law (legal systems) of different countries. More specifically, it involves the study of the different legal "systems" (or "families") in existence in the world, including the ...
. The following independent authorities are affiliated to the FDJP for administrative purposes: *
Federal Gaming Board Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(FGB): Regulates
casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
s and enforces Swiss
gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...
law (except
lotteries A lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of ...
, which are regulated by the cantons). * Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG): Criminal prosecuting authority with respect to crimes subject to federal jurisdiction, led by the
Attorney General of Switzerland Attorney may refer to: * Lawyer ** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions * Attorney, one who has power of attorney * ''The Attorney'', a 2013 South Korean film See also * Attorney general, the principal legal officer of (or advisor to) a gove ...
.


Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports

The Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS) is Switzerland's ministry of defence. As of 2019, is headed by
Viola Amherd Viola Patricia Amherd (born 7 June 1962) is a Swiss politician who has served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2019. She is the head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport. Amherd was a member of the Chri ...
( CVP/PDC). It is composed of the following departmental sectors: *Defence / Armed Forces sector:
Swiss Armed Forces The Swiss Armed Forces (german: Schweizer Armee, french: Armée suisse, it, Esercito svizzero, rm, Armada svizra; ) operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Switzerland. Under the country's militia system, re ...
headquarters and staff, Land Forces,
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
, Armed Forces Logistics Organisation (AFLO), Armed Forces Command Support Organisation (AFCSO). *Civil Protection sector:
Federal Office for Civil Protection Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(FOCP), responsible for the coordination of the
civil protection Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, miti ...
services of the cantons and municipalities. Operates the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) and the Spiez Laboratory, which is responsible for
weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natu ...
research and protection. *Sport sector:
Federal Office of Sport The Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) is the Swiss federal government's centre for expertise in sports and a part of the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. Its mission is to promote sports and exercise in all age gro ...
(FOSPO), responsible for sport policy, the
National Youth Sports Centre National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
Tenero Tenero-Contra is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Locarno (district), Locarno in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Geography Tenero-Contra has an area, , of . Of this area, or 27.4% i ...
and the Youth and Sport organisation. *
armasuisse The Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse) is a federal agency of the Swiss Confederation. It is the procurement organization for armaments of Switzerland and is affiliated with the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection ...
sector: Responsible for armaments procurement, technology and research. * Federal Office of Topography ( swisstopo), which compiles and manages geographical reference data and maps. The following services are also part of the DDPS: *General Secretariat *
Office of the Military Attorney General An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific du ...
: The military prosecutor's office. * Strategic Intelligence Service (SIS): Switzerland's foreign intelligence service. * Directorate for Security Policy (DSP): Responsible for strategy development, defence and procurement policy, arms control and disarmament policy.


Federal Department of Finance

The
Federal Department of Finance The Federal Department of Finance (FDF, german: Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement, links=no, french: Département fédéral des finances, links=no, it, Dipartimento federale delle finanze, links=no, rm, ) is one of the seven departments of ...
is Switzerland's
ministry of finance A ministry of finance is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the finance. Lists of current ministries of finance Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Finance and Ec ...
. As of 2019, it is headed by
Ueli Maurer Ulrich "Ueli" Maurer (; born 1 December 1950) is a Swiss politician who has served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2009. A member of the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC), he was President of the Swiss Confederation in 2013 and 2019 ...
( SVP/UDC). It is composed of the following offices: *General Secretariat, including the Federal Strategy Unit for IT (FSUIT). * Federal Finance Administration (FFA): Responsible for the budget, financial planning, financial policy, the federal treasury and financial equalisation between the Confederation and the cantons. Operates the federal mint. * Federal Office of Personnel (FOPER): Responsible for human resources management, personnel policy and personnel training. * Federal Tax Administration (FTA): Responsible for federal revenue collection and the application of federal tax laws in the cantons. * Federal Customs Administration (FCA): Responsible for monitoring the import, export and transit of goods, collecting customs duties, traffic charges and taxes. Operates the Swiss Border Guard, which carries out border police duties. * Swiss Alcohol Board (SAB): Regulates the alcohol market. * Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT): Provides IT services for the federal administration. * Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FBL): Responsible for property management, central procurement of non-durable goods, federal publications and the production of the
Swiss passport A Swiss passport is the passport issued to citizens of Switzerland to facilitate international travel. Beside serving as proof of Swiss citizenship, they facilitate the process of securing assistance from Swiss consular officials abroad. The pas ...
. The following independent authorities are affiliated to the FDF for administrative purposes: * Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO): The federal government audit office. Examines accounting practices and verifies the proper and efficient use of resources by the administration, other public service institutions and subsidy recipients. * Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA): Regulates banks, insurances, securities dealers, investment funds and stock exchanges, as well as the disclosure of shareholding interests, public takeover bids and mortgage lenders. *
Federal Pension Fund Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(PUBLICA): Provides insurance coverage to employees of the federal administration, the other branches of the federal government and associated organisations.


Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) is Switzerland's
ministry of the economy A ministry of economy, ministry of commerce, ministry of economic affairs or department of commerce is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the economy or economic policy. List Examples of such mini ...
. As of 2019, it is headed by
Guy Parmelin Guy Bernard Parmelin (; born 9 November 1959) is a Swiss politician, who served as president of Switzerland in 2021, having previously served as vice president of Switzerland in 2020. A member of the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC), he has been ...
( SVP/UDC). It is composed of the following offices: *General Secretariat, including the
Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
FCAB (responsible for consumer affairs) and the Swiss
civilian service Alternative civilian service, also called alternative services, civilian service, non-military service, and substitute service, is a form of national service performed in lieu of military conscription for various reasons, such as conscientious ...
agency ( ZIVI). *
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
(SECO): Responsible for national and international economic policy, trade negotiations and labour policy. * Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG): Responsible for
agricultural policy Agricultural policy describes a set of laws relating to domestic agriculture and imports of foreign agricultural products. Governments usually implement agricultural policies with the goal of achieving a specific outcome in the domestic agricultu ...
and for
direct payments The Direct Payments scheme is a UK Government initiative in the field of Social Services that gives users money directly to pay for their own care, rather than the traditional route of a Local Government Authority providing care for them. The Cabin ...
to Swiss farmers. *
Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(OPET): Responsible for
vocational education Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an i ...
and training,
Universities of Applied Sciences A ''Fachhochschule'' (; plural ''Fachhochschulen''), abbreviated FH, is a university of applied sciences (UAS), in other words a German tertiary education institution that provides professional education in many applied sciences and applied arts ...
and innovation promotion. * Federal Veterinary office (FVO): Responsible for animal welfare and health, the safety of food of animal origin and the implementation of the
CITES convention CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...
. *Integration Office (see FDFA above) *
Federal Office for National Economic Supply Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(FONES): Manages emergency supplies of essential goods and services. *
Federal Housing Office Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(FHO): Responsible for
housing policy Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the details, terminology, d ...
. The following independent authorities are affiliated to the FDEA for administrative purposes: *
Price Supervisor A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, the price of production has a different name. If the product is a "good" in the c ...
: Price ombudsman and responsible for the supervision of regulated prices. *
Competition Commission The Competition Commission was a non-departmental public body responsible for investigating mergers, markets and other enquiries related to regulated industries under competition law in the United Kingdom. It was a competition regulator under t ...
: Swiss competition regulator. * Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET): Provides training for
vocational education Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an i ...
professionals.


Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications

As of 2019, the
Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications The Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC, german: Eidgenössisches Departement für Umwelt, Verkehr, Energie und Kommunikation, french: Département fédéral de l'environnement, des transports, de l'én ...
(DETEC) is headed by
Simonetta Sommaruga Simonetta Myriam Sommaruga (born 14 May 1960) is a Swiss politician who has served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2010. A member of the Social Democratic Party (SP/PS), she was President of the Swiss Confederation in 2015 and 2 ...
( SP/PS). It is composed of the following offices: *General Secretariat *
Federal Office for Spatial Development Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(ARE): Coordinates area planning between the federal agencies, the cantons and the municipalities. *
Federal Office for the Environment The Federal Office for the Environment (german: Bundesamt für Umwelt; french: Office fédéral de l'environnement; it, Ufficio federale dell'ambiente) is the Swiss environmental agency, a division of the Federal Department of Environment, ...
(FOEN): Responsible for matters of the environment, including the protection of plants and animals and the protection against noise, air pollution or natural hazards. * Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA): Regulates
civil aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...
. * Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM): Regulates radio and TV stations, notably the
Swiss Broadcasting Corporation The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (german: Schweizerische Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft; french: Société suisse de radiodiffusion et télévision; it, Società svizzera di radiotelevisione; rm, Societad Svizra da Radio e Televisiun; SRG ...
. * Federal Office of Energy (FOE): Responsible for the provision of electrical energy at the federal level, as well as for the supervision of dams. *
Federal Office of Transport The Federal Office of Transport (FOT, german: Bundesamt für Verkehr (BAV); french: Office fédéral des transports (OFT); it, Ufficio federale dei trasporti (UFT); rm, Uffizi federal da traffic (UFT)) is a division of the Swiss Federal Depart ...
(FOT): Responsible for
public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...
at the federal level, including the development of the federal rail network and navigation on the
Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...
. *
Federal Roads Authority Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(FEDRO): Responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of the national highway network. The following independent authorities are affiliated to the DETEC for administrative purposes: * Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB): Technical investigating authority for aircraft accidents. *
Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdicti ...
(ComCom): Regulates the telecommunications market, awards service licences, rules on
interconnection In telecommunications, interconnection is the physical linking of a carrier's network with equipment or facilities not belonging to that network. The term may refer to a connection between a carrier's facilities and the equipment belonging to ...
disputes and approves frequency and numbering plans. *
Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(ESTI): Responsible for inspecting low and heavy-current electrical installations. *
Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(HSK): Assesses and monitors security and radiation protection in Swiss nuclear installations. *
Federal Pipelines Inspectorate Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
(ERI): Responsible for the planning, construction and operation of
fuel pipeline A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy but ...
systems in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. *
Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independen ...
: Decides on complaints about radio and television programmes. *
Investigation Bureau for Railway, Funicular and Boat Accidents The Investigation Bureau for Railway, Funicular and Boat Accidents (IRFBA; german: Unfalluntersuchungsstelle für Bahnen und Schiffe, UUS; french: Service d'enquête sur les accidents des transports publics, SEA; it, Servizio d’inchiesta sugl ...
: Technical investigating authority for accidents on railways, cableways, funicular railways and ships. * PostReg: Regulates the
Swiss Post Swiss Post (french: La Poste suisse, it, La Posta Svizzera, german: Die Schweizerische Post, rm, La Posta Svizra) is the national postal service of Switzerland. A public company owned by the Swiss Confederation, it is the country's second lar ...
. * Railways Arbitration Commission (RACO): Arbitrates in disputes over access to the rail network.


Notes and references


See also

*
Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance Reporting may refer to * any activity that leads to reports * in particular business reporting * Data reporting *Sustainability reporting * Financial reporting * international reporting of financial information for tax purposes under the OECD's Com ...


External links

* * * * {{Authority control Government of Switzerland