The execuTive: Federal council and deparTmenTs or The Swiss government

40 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

or the first time in its hundred-and-sixty- eveline Widmer-schlumpf for accepting the elec­ year history, the Federal council currently tion to the government against the wishes of her F consists of members from five different party – and the subsequent founding of the Bdp parties: The exclusion last year of the canton means that a small grouping is also represented Graubünden section of the svp from the national in the Federal council. party – and consequently of Federal councillor

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 41 The Federal council

The swiss government comprises the seven members of the Federal council, who are each elected by the united Federal assembly for a four-year term of office. The president is elected for one year only and is regarded when in office as primus inter pares, or first among equals. he or she chairs the sessions of the Federal council and undertakes special ceremonial duties. The Federal chancellor acts as the govern­ ment’s chief of staff.

hans-Rudolf Merz Doris Leuthard vice-President of Moritz Leuenberger Pascal couchepin President of the Swiss confederation the Federal council Head of the Federal Department of Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department the Environment, Transport, Energy of Home Affairs of Finance of Economic Affairs and Communications Member of the FDP Member of the FDP Member of the CVP Member of the SP Federal Councillor since 1998 Federal Councillor since 2004 Federal Councillor since 2006 Federal Councillor since 1995

Micheline calmy-Rey eveline Widmer-Schlumpf ueli Maurer corina casanova Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department Head of the Federal Department of Member of the CVP of Foreign Affairs of Justice and Police Defence, Civil Protection and Sport Federal Chancellor since 2008 Member of the SP Member of the BDP Member of the SVP Federal Councillor since 2003 Federal Councillor since 2008 Federal Councillor since 2009

The composition of the Federal council in terms of political parties

FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP The diagram shows the representation of FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP SP SP SP SP the political par ties in the Federal Council FDP FDP FDP FDP FDP SP SP SP SP SP since 1848 from the for ty years in which FDP FDP FDP FDP SVP SVP SVP SVP BDP SVP its members all came from the Radical FDP FDP LPS CVP CVP CVP CVP SVP BDP BDP FDP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP CVP Par ty to the current composition.

1848 1892 1916 1920 1929 1944 1959 2004 2008 2009

42 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

collegiality according to article 177 of the Federal consti­ tution, the Federal council is a collegial body, in which each member has the same rights and responsibilities. The national government convenes every Wednesday morning for ordinary meetings where members express their views on the matters at hand and pass resolutions. as a rule, the Federal council avoids putting mat­ ters to a vote, as it is normally clear from the discussion what the majority view is. deci­ sions are reached behind closed doors and must be presented in public unanimously, us­ Role of the Federal council As the highest ex­ ing the arguments that won the day in the dis­ ecutive authority of the country, the Federal council is primarily cussions. in other words, members who do not responsible for the activities of the government. It must continu­ share the opinion of the majority must none­ ously theless endorse the decisions of the council • assess the situation arising from developments in the State as a whole. and society and from events at home and abroad; • define the fundamental goals of State action and determine the resources needed to attain them; concordance comes from the lat­ • plan and co-ordinate government policy and ensure its imple­ in term “concordia”, which means unanimity or mentation; the popular expression “one heart and soul”. • represent the Confederation at home and abroad. unlike the consideration for the various re­ gions of switzerland, concordance is not stip­ Furthermore, the Federal Council must regularly and systemati­ ulated in the constitution, but has developed cally scrutinise the workings of the Federal Administration in over many years through switzerland’s highly order to ensure its efficiency and the legality and practicality of developed mechanisms for the protection of its activities. The Federal council also takes part in the legisla­ minorities. tive procedure by concordance, does not, however, imply • leading the preliminary proceedings of legislation; that everyone in parliament and in the govern­ • submitting federal acts and decrees to the Federal Assembly; ment is (or should be) in complete agreement, • enacting ordinances in so far as the Federal Constitution or but rather that all opinions are represented federal law empowers it to do so. and carry a weight that accords closely with the level of support that they enjoy among the Finally, the Federal Council drafts the budget and the State ac­ electorate. counts. It takes administrative action only in exceptional cases. The Federal Council generally meets for one ordinary session The magic formula is the each week and takes decisions on some 2000 to 2500 matters phrase used to describe the way in which the each year. In addition to the extraordinary sessions, which are Federal council has been constituted since convened at short notice as and when the need arises, a number 1959 when the seats allocated to parties rep­ of special meetings are also held each year, which are dedicated resented in the national government first cor­ to the consideration of especially complex and important issues. responded roughly to their share of the vote: The sessions of the Federal Council are chaired by the Presi­ the sp (26.3%), the Fdp (23.7%) and the cvp dent of the Swiss Confederation, or in his or her absence, by the (23.3%) each had two seats on the Federal Vice-President. They can last between one and ten hours. council, while the svp (11.6%) had one. The Departments and the Federal Chancellery prepare the This balance remained unchanged for 44 agenda, but it is the Federal Council that takes the decisions as a years. The 2003 national council elections collegial body. Each member of the Federal Council has one vote. saw the svp gain the largest share of the vote, The Federal Chancellor is entitled to propose motions and speak, thereby earning them a second seat in govern­ but has no vote. ment which they took from the cvp. however, in 2008 both svp members of government shifted allegiance to the newly-founded Bdp. since the beginning of the year, the svp has once again had a representative on the Feder­ al council in the shape of ueli maurer, whose seat was vacated by samuel schmid.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 43 orGanisaTion oF The Federal adminisTraTion or Where the 36 000-strong federal staff work

Staff: 3306 Staff: 2033 Staff: 2203 Staff: 11 595 Revenue: 82 139 200. – Revenue: 573 135 800. – Revenue: 130 850 100. – Revenue: 1 608 262 200. – Expenditure: 2 329 137 500. – Expenditure: 17 473 695 823. – Expenditure: 1 389 697 700. – Expenditure: 6 455 462 765. –

Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Micheline calmy - Rey Pascal couchepin eveline Widmer - Schlumpf ueli Maurer

Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department of Defence, of Foreign Affairs FDFA of home Affairs FDHA of Justice and Police FDJP civil Protection and Sport DDPS

General Secretariat General Secretariat General Secretariat General Secretariat

Federal Office for Gender Federal Office Office of the Armed Forces State Secretariat equality FOGE of Justice FOJ Attorney General

Directorate of Federal Office Federal Office Political Affairs of culture FOC of Police Fedpol Defence

Directorate of Federal Office Public international Law Swiss National Library NL for Migration FOM civil Protection

Swiss Agency for Development Office of the Attorney General and cooperation SDC Swiss Federal Archives SFA of Switzerland OAS Sport

Directorate of Swiss Meteorological Federal Office corporate Management institute MeteoSwiss of Metrology Metas Armasuisse

Swiss diplomatic and Federal Office Federal institute consular missions abroad of Public health FOPH of intellectual Property IIP

Federal Statistical Swiss institute Office FSO for comparative Law SICL

Federal Social Federal Gaming insurance Office FSIO Board FGB

State Secretariat for education and Research SER

Federal institutes of Technology Group ETH Group

The colour - coded organisational units are Swiss Agency for Therapeutic mostly independent, which is why information Products Swissmedic on their staff, revenue and expenditure is not included in the respective department figures.

44 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Staff: 8048 Staff: 1919 Staff: 1848 Staff: 195 Revenue: 59 511 922 749. – Revenue: 271 823 300. – Revenue: 815 297 100. – Revenue: 990 000. – Expenditure: 15 709 348 676. – Expenditure: 6 121 022 623. – Expenditure: 9 019 776 696. – Expenditure: 57 284 400. –

Department Head: Department Head: Department Head: Federal Chancellor: hans - Rudolf Merz Doris Leuthard Moritz Leuenberger corina casanova

Federal Department Federal Department Federal Department of the Federal chancellery FCh of Finance FDF of economic Affairs FDEA environment, Transport, energy and communications DETEC

Federal Data Protection and General Secretariat General Secretariat General Secretariat information commissioner

Federal Finance State Secretariat Federal Office Administration FFA for economic Affairs Seco of Transport FOT

Federal Office for Federal Office Professional education Federal Office of Personnel FOPER and Technology OPET of civil Aviation FOCA

Federal Tax Federal Office for Swiss Federal Administration FTA Agriculture FOAG Office of energy SFOE

Federal customs Federal veterinary Federal Roads Office Administration FCA Office FVO FEDRO

Federal Office of information Technology, Systems and Federal Office for National Federal Office Telecommunication FOITT economic Supply FONES of communications OFCOM

Federal Office for Buildings Federal housing Federal Office and Logistics FOBL Office FHO for the environment FOEN

Swiss Financial Market Office of the Federal Office for Supervisory Authority Finma Price Supervisor Spatial Development ARE

Swiss Federal competition commission Audit Office SFAO ComCo

Swiss Federal institute Swiss Alcohol for vocational education Board SAB and Training SFIVET

Federal Pension Fund Publica

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 45 Federal chancellery FCh

As staff office, the Federal Chancellery monitors the business Federal Council business and consultation procedures among processes of the Federal Council. Before an item of business is the federal offices, and for the archiving of the Federal Chan­ actually tabled, it passes through a variety of stages. The Fed­ cellery’s documents. eral Chancellery plays the role of coordinator, and acts as a hub The primary tasks of internal Services include human re­ to the rest of the Federal Administration and Parliament. The sources, finance and accounting, information technology, events Federal Chancellor is the government’s chief of staff and may management at the von Wattenwyl Haus and the Lohn country propose motions to the Federal Council. The Federal Chancel­ residence, and the authentication of signatures for foreign au­ lery is also responsible for informing the public of the decisions thorities. taken by the Federal Council in a timely and transparent man­ ner via the media. Federal council Sector For the Federal Chancellery, 2009 will be a year of consoli­ dation and renewal. One priority will be to not only maintain The Federal Council begins its weekly session at 9 am every the quality of the www.admin.ch and www.ch.ch internet platforms, but Wednesday in the west wing of the Federal Palace. The Section also to adapt to the future requirements of e-Government, i.e. for Federal council Affairs works together with the departments the electronic communication between the state and citizens. to prepare the items of business for approval by the Federal An important part of e-Government is e-Voting. Pilot e-Voting Council. It prepares an agenda, gathers the views on items of schemes are being conducted in several cantons. business awaiting resolution from all departments through a A further aim for the current year is to upgrade the system consultation process and submits them to the Federal Council. used to electronically enter official publications in the Federal The protocol of decisions and individual decisions are written Gazette and in the compilations of legislation. At the same time, up after the Federal Council meeting. all of the Federal Administration’s transactions should be proc­ The Legal Section has a control and advisory function in the essed and harmonised electronically. legislative process and advises the departments and offices on their legislation projects. The Section screens all motions put to the Federal Council for their legal and formal accuracy. In ad­ Federal chancellor Sector dition, it is responsible for specific legal fields, such as adminis­ trative organisation law, consultative procedure law and official The Planning and Strategy Section is responsible for the Federal publications law. Council’s political planning and accountability instruments, Federal acts and ordinances must be published in the official which include legislature planning, annual objectives, and the publishing bodies to enter into force. It is the task of the Official activity report. The section is responsible for coordinating the Publications centre to ensure that the Federal Gazette and both Federal Administration’s Forward Planning Staff and checking compilations of legislation are published swiftly and simulta­ the most important Federal Council business for consistency neously in the three official languages (German, French and with the current and planned overall policy. It also acts as a sec­ Italian). The Federal Gazette contains draft bills and decrees retariat to the Conference of Secretaries-General, the highest that parliament debates in the course of its legislative work, ex­ coordination body in the Federal Administration. planatory dispatches and Federal Council reports, referendum The Political Rights Section ensures that the political rights proposals and notices from the federal authorities. The Official that are typical to Switzerland can be exercised smoothly. It ad­ Compilation of Federal Legislation (AS) is published on a week­ vises initiative and referendum committees, formally conducts ly basis and contains the new and amended acts and ordinances. a preliminary examination of popular initiatives, verifies peti­ The Official Compilation of Federal Legislation (SR) is continu­ tion lists, organises federal votes and elections to the National ously updated and provides a complete overview of applicable Council and monitors pilot e-Voting schemes. law. The compilations of legislation are indispensable for legal The Federal crisis Management Training (cMT) unit of the Fed­ practitioners, but also for many private individuals, as is evident eral Administration trains senior staff from offices, departments from the some 500 000 online queries made each day. and the Federal Chancellery to manage crises and disasters, and The central Language Services ensure, together with the Fed­ conducts exercises. Supra-departmental cooperation plays an eral Office of Justice, that federal legislation and all other of­ increasingly important role. ficial publications are produced in a style of language that is The Records and Process Management Section is responsible accessible to the public. Through their own translations and the for mail service, for the distribution of information regarding revision of those carried out by the offices, they help to ensure

46 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Federal Chancellor: corina casanova Vice-Chancellor: Oswald Sigg (until 31 March), Thomas Helbling, André Simonazzi (from 1 April)

Federal Palace West Wing, 3003 Bern 031 322 31 53 Information officers: Hansruedi Moser, Claude Gerbex www.bk.admin.ch

that government communications reach all language communi­ Federal Data Protection and information commissioner ties at the same time and in the same manner. The language services also ensure that important government texts are pub­ The Commissioner monitors data processing activities by fed­ lished in Romansh and in English. They maintain the Termdat eral agencies or by private individuals and organisations. In the terminology database, which is a multilingual electronic dic­ event of a violation, he can recommend that data processing tionary covering a wide range of legal, administrative and other methods be changed or discontinued. In addition, he provides specialised fields. It is a valuable tool for communication, ed­ advice to private individuals, federal agencies and the cantons. iting and translation. In carrying out all these activities, the He advises the federal offices and departments on how to apply language services act as the guardians of our country’s multilin­ the principle of freedom of information, which facilitates access gualism. to official documents, and conducts mediation proceedings in the event of conflict between those applying for access to infor­ information and communications Sector mation and the offices concerned.

Information and communication are key leadership tools for the Federal Council. Headed by the Vice-Chancellor and Federal Council spokesman, the information and communications Sector ensures, together with the relevant heads of department and their staffs, that parliament, the media and the public are con­ tinually provided with transparent information following the meetings of the Federal Council. This takes the form of press conferences that can also be viewed in real time online at http:// www.admin.ch/ch/d/conferenza, and through press releases which can be subscribed to at www.news.admin.ch or downloaded from www.admin.ch. In addition, it operates a media centre across the road from the Federal Palace. The Vice-Chancellor and his team (together with the spe­ cialists from the departments and federal offices and with the support of the language services) are responsible for the ex­ planatory notes issued by the Federal Council on popular votes at federal level. The e-Government Section operates the Federal Administra­ tion’s internet portal www.admin.ch and, on behalf of the Confed­ eration and cantons, the Swiss portal www.ch.ch. It also performs certain management and coordination tasks in the area of e- Government and is involved at the forefront of the development and implementation of the Federal Administration’s 2010 Inter­ net Strategy. The communication Support Section advises the Federal Ad­ ministration on strategic and conceptual communication matters. At the same time, it also produces a wide range of print and web products (sometimes with the help of external specialists) for the departments, federal offices and the Federal Chancellery. The best known of these products is the brochure you are reading. The Käfigturm, the Political Forum of the confederation, prima­ rily hosts exhibitions with political content and related discus­ sions. In addition to media conferences, the Käfigturm organ­ ises a regular series of lectures on topical or historical subjects. Details can be found at www.kaefigturm.admin.ch.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 47 Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

Where exactly is Roatan?

oatan is the largest of the three Honduran islands in the Caribbean and is home to one of the five tourist police stations in the country. Esther Leupp makes sure that Ras few Swiss tourists as possible need to call on the police: She is responsible for issuing the FDFA’s travel advice. Too few people make use of this service, despite the fact that it is more necessary than ever. Increasing numbers of people fly off to exotic holiday destinations these days totally unprepared; they book their flight and hotel online, but completely over­ look basic matters such as visa regulations, compulsory vaccinations and adequate travel insurance. People who know very little about the country and its people, who take off regard­ less of risk and do not speak the language, could be in for a rude awakening when they reach their dream destination: they could have an accident or fall victim to crime – or end up in jail if they happen to break strict local laws. When drafting the travel advice (www.eda.admin.ch/reisehinweise), Esther Leupp and her team focus on safety information. They assess risks and recommend specific precautionary measures drawing on reliable sources, particularly reports from local embassies and consulates. The advice is continuously updated if the security situation in a country changes. Esther Leupp doesn’t provide news bulletins or weather reports, but she does give a lot of useful tips – such as the old rule of thumb for eating in tropical countries: “If you can’t peel it or cook it, don’t eat it.”

Esther Leupp is one of around 3700 federal employees in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA. Few people know about her work, but it benefits a great many people.

48 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 49 Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for Directorate of Political Affairs safeguarding Switzerland’s interests abroad and for shaping and Head: Staff and budget: coordinating Swiss foreign policy. Its activities are based on the Michael Ambühl, State Secretary and included in figures for the State Secretariat Political Affairs Director following five foreign policy goals: • peaceful coexistence of nations The Directorate of Political Affairs is the central office for col­ • respect for human rights and promotion of democracy lecting and processing all the information needed to safeguard • safeguarding Swiss economic interests abroad Swiss foreign interests. It identifies the potential areas of crisis • alleviation of hardship and poverty in the world and tension, assesses Switzerland’s options, and develops for­ • preservation of natural resources eign policy strategies. The Directorate of Political Affairs is the office within the Department where Switzerland’s foreign policy is formulated and to which all Switzerland’s missions abroad General Secretariat report. The Directorate has four geographical and five thematic Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: – divisions: Roberto Balzaretti 55 Expenditure: 14 510 200.– • Political Affairs Division I (Europe, Council of Europe, OSCE, As the FDFA’s staff office, the General Secretariat sup­ cross-border cooperation) ports the foreign minister in the management of the depart­ • Political Affairs Division II / The Americas ment. It plans and coordinates all departmental activities. • Political Affairs Division II / Africa and the Middle East It is also responsible for • Political Affairs Division II / Asia-Pacific • public relations • Political Affairs Division III (United Nations, Swiss activities in • supervising the embassies and consulates and monitoring fi­ international organisations, host-state policy, Francophonie) nancial management at the central office • Political Affairs Division IV (peace policy and human securi­ • achieving equal opportunities within the FDFA ty, human rights policy, humanitarian policy and migration, • implementing the Freedom of Information Act Swiss Expert Pool for Civilian Peace Building) • Political Affairs Division V (financial and economic issues; en­ vironment, transport, energy and science; cultural affairs) State Secretariat • Political Affairs Division VI (service for the Swiss Abroad and State Secretary: Staff: Revenue: – policy on the Swiss Abroad, consular protection, travel infor­ Michael Ambühl 281 Expenditure: 246 281 300.– mation and crisis management) The State Secretary is second in command in the depart­ • Secretariat of Political Affairs (analyses, documentation and ment – after the Head of Department – and is the first person planning; international security policy) to whom the Federal Council turns to discuss matters of foreign policy. He heads the Directorate of Political Affairs and is re­ sponsible for the development and strategic planning of foreign Directorate of Public international Law policy and for reporting to the political authorities. The State Director: Staff: Revenue: – Secretary deputises for the Head of Department when neces­ Paul Seger 43 Expenditure: 5 708 500.– sary, for example at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Committees International law governs the peaceful coexistence of of the National Council and the Council of States. He is also States. A foreign policy that adheres to international rules is responsible for maintaining regular contacts with his counter­ credible and predictable. International law is an important parts abroad and in Bern. Important dossiers include coopera­ guideline of Swiss foreign policy. tion with the UN, the development of Switzerland’s relations As the “legal conscience” of the FDFA and the Swiss gov­ with the EU as well as security and peace policy. ernment’s central office for international law, the Directorate The Integration Office, which is a joint office of the FDFA of Public International Law ensures that Switzerland meets its and the FDEA, reports to the State Secretariat. It coordinates international legal obligations both abroad and at home. It is in­ relations with the European Union and the European Free Trade volved in negotiating, concluding and implementing agreements Association (EFTA). based on international law and is committed to the promotion of and compliance with international law. It is also responsible for ensuring that Swiss legal claims vis-à-vis foreign states are enforced.

50 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: Micheline calmy-Rey

Federal Palace West Wing, 3003 Bern 031 322 31 53 Information officer: Lars Knuchel www.eda.admin.ch

The DPIL deals with a wide range of topics, including neutral­ Directorate of corporate Management ity, human rights and international humanitarian law, the legal Director: Staff: Revenue: 40 214 200.– aspects of cross-border cooperation, dealing with the issue of helene Budliger Artieda 337 Expenditure: 242 133 500.– proceeds of corruption, and shipping on the Rhine and other The Directorate of Corporate Management has three inland waterways. main tasks: The DPIL also coordinates foreign policy measures for com- • It is responsible for managing and controlling resources (hu­ bating terrorism and is responsible for relations with the Princi­ man resources, finance, logistics, IT, etc.) and ensures they pality of Liechtenstein. are used effectively to achieve the department’s goals. • It manages the network of diplomatic and consular represen­ tations abroad. It takes measures to ensure the security of Swiss Agency for Development these representations and their staff, and is responsible for and cooperation SDC www.deza.admin.ch the communication channels and coordination between the Director: Staff: Revenue: – Swiss representations abroad and the head office in Bern. Martin Dahinden 527 Expenditure: 1 506 732 600.– • It ensures efficient and customer-friendly consular services Switzerland contributes to the alleviation of hardship and creates the conditions for results-oriented management in and poverty in the world, to respect for human rights, and to the Swiss representations abroad. the promotion of democracy and the peaceful coexistence of na­ In addition, legislation, the application of law and legal advice tions, as stated in the Swiss constitution. for the department (with the exception of questions of interna- The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) tional law) are included in the DCM’s remit. The Swiss Govern­ implements this mission. It conducts its own programmes, sup­ ment Travel Centre, which organises the official international ports the activities of multilateral organisations and contributes travel arrangements for the entire federal administration, is to the programmes of Swiss and international non-governmen­ also part of this directorate. tal organisations. The SDC’s activities are divided into four specific areas: • global cooperation Swiss diplomatic and consular missions abroad • regional cooperation Staff: Revenue: 41 925 000.– • cooperation with eastern Europe 2063 Expenditure: 313 771 400.– • humanitarian aid Some 150 missions represent Swiss interests vis-à-vis other Global cooperation works closely with the United Nations (UN), states and international organisations and provide services to the World Bank, regional development banks and other parties Swiss nationals and businesses abroad. The network includes involved in multilateral development cooperation. embassies, general consulates, and consulates, as well as mis­ Regional cooperation consists of bilateral development assist­ sions to multilateral bodies and SDC cooperation offices. ance in 18 (12 from 2012) partner countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Cooperation with eastern Europe comprises Switzerland’s assistance to transition countries in the West Balkans and the Community of Independent States of the former Soviet Union (CIS) and its enlargement contribution to the new EU countries. Humanitarian aid saves lives and alleviates suffering. Dur­ ing armed conflicts and in the aftermath of natural disasters, the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit provides help and supports humanitarian partner organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the World Food Pro­ gramme. In addition to relief aid it provides reconstruction as­ sistance and is involved in the area of disaster protection and prevention. The work of the SDC focuses on ten topics: health, educa­ tion, water, rule of law and democracy, migration, agriculture and rural development, business and employment, environ­ ment, conflict prevention and transformation, and economic integration.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 51 Federal Department of home Affairs FDHA

Where the wind blows

he peak of the Weissfluhjoch rises to 2690 metres above sea level. And a few metres above that, Franz Herzog, an electro - Tnic and service technician from the Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research, is working on some equipment. He has been commissioned by the Swiss Meteorological Insti - tute MeteoSwiss to set the wind gauge at the top of the mast of the automatic weather station to bear exactly due north, and check and adjust the other devices if necessary. The devices measure atmospheric humidity and temperature, short -wave solar radiation that hits the earth, long -range inf - rared radiation and daily sunshine duration. In addition, a nearby level area of roughly 50 square metres is used to measure the volume of rain or snow precipitation. The weather station above Davos, which can only be reached using the Parsenn mountain cableway is one of around six dozen such stations spread out around the country which continually transmit data to the MeteoSwiss headquarters in Zurich. The Weissfluhjoch station is part of the unified “SwissMetNet” established four years ago and which is due to include an additio - nal sixty stations by 2012. This modern ground weather network makes it possible to establish accurate forecasts and issue severe weather warnings, and is essential for the long -term study of cli - mate trends in Switzerland. In addition to SwissMetNet, MeteoSwiss also operates a pollen count network, which is important for people with allergies, as well as a phenological network to monitor cycles of vegetation growth.

Franz Herzog is one of the around 2300 federal employees at the Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA. Few people know about his work, but it benefits a great many people.

52 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 53 Federal Department of home Affairs FDHA

General Secretariat www.edi.admin.ch Literary Archive and the Graphic Collection. The Dürrenmatt Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: 1 010 000.– Centre in Neuchâtel is also part of the Swiss National Library. Pascal Strupler 60 Expenditure: 37 477 400.– The General Secretariat is responsible for planning, coordination and controlling, and coordinates the decision­ Swiss Federal Archives SFA www.bar.admin.ch making process between the federal offices and the Head of Director: Staff: Revenue: 21 600.– Department. It provides consultancy services for the entire de­ Andreas Kellerhals 48 Expenditure: 18 928 000.– partment. Its Legal Service is also responsible for supervising The SFA evaluates, safeguards, catalogues and raises charitable foundations. The Federal Commission against Rac­ public awareness of the Confederation’s documents. It would ism, the Service for Combating Racism and the Bureau for the take 12 terabytes and a bookshelf over 50 kilometres long to Equality of People with Disabilities are affiliated to the General hold the entire inventory, which includes original documents Secretariat. such as the Swiss Constitution, deeds, photos, films, recordings and databases. In a democratic constitutional state, the archiving of such Federal Office records is essential for continuity and transparency and it ena­ for Gender equality FOGE www.gleichstellung-schweiz.ch bles citizens to exercise democratic control over government Director: Staff: Revenue: – and administrative activities and is the basis for research. Patricia Schulz 14 Expenditure: 8 174 700.– The main focus is currently to support the Federal Adminis­ Equal rights in the workplace and at home are the of­ tration’s services. In accordance with a Federal Council Decree, fice’s main concern. The FOGE now provides financial assist­ the SFA supports the Federal Administration by ensuring the ance to promote company projects to improve in-house equal smooth transition to e-Government. opportunities and, together with social partners, plays an active role in implementing equal pay for women and men. The Sec­ retariat of the Federal Commission for Women’s Issues is also Swiss Meteorological affiliated to this office. institute MeteoSwiss www.meteoschweiz.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 36 547 600.– Daniel K. Keuerleber-Burk 285 Expenditure: 88 614 000.–

Federal Office of culture FOC www.bak.admin.ch In the first half of 2008, the Föhn frequently blew Director: Staff: Revenue: 4 340 000.– through Switzerland’s Alpine valleys, often bringing high Jean-Frédéric Jauslin 220 Expenditure: 215 664 700.– winds. This often resulted in accidents and damage to prop­ The FOC formulates the cultural policy of the federal erty. During the subsequent accident or damage investigation government. It promotes cultural life in all its diversity and cre­ by the authorities and insurance companies, MeteoSwiss pro­ ates the conditions to ensure that it can continue to flourish. It vides expert assessments on the meteorological incidents in its supports creative work in the fields of film, the visual arts and capacity as independent government authority. MeteoSwiss also design. Its tasks also include supporting and promoting the inter- issues weather forecasts and severe weather warnings around ests of the country’s various linguistic and cultural communities. the clock. It gives speedy and detailed information to disaster It supports umbrella organisations that represent cultural inter­ protection units, the media and the general public. MeteoSwiss ests. It ensures the preservation of historic buildings and monu­ operates telemetry ground stations, rainfall radars and vari­ ments, areas of local character and archaeological sites. The FOC ous remote sensing instruments at over 700 locations. Complex is the contact point for queries regarding looted art and the trans­ weather models use this data to calculate forecasts up to ten fer of cultural goods. The FOC manages valuable collections, in­ days in advance. cluding the federal art collection, and is responsible for supervis­ ing the Swiss National Library and the National Museums. Federal Office of Public health FOPH www.bag.admin.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 23 772 500.– Thomas Zeltner 399 Expenditure: 2 200 145 200.– Swiss National Library NL www.nb.admin.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 345 000.– The overriding aim of the FOPH is to promote and main­ Marie-christine Doffey 126 Expenditure: 37 385 023.– tain the good health of all people living in Switzerland. It seeks The Swiss National Library’s task is to collect, preserve, to increase awareness of health-related matters so that people catalogue and make available all printed and electronic publica­ can take responsibility for their own health. It also aims at a tions relating to Switzerland. In addition, the NL also houses a general improvement in people’s health through disease preven­ series of special collections, the most important being the Swiss tion and health protection campaigns and by curing illnesses

54 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: Pascal couchepin

Inselgasse 1, 3003 Bern 031 322 80 33 Information officers: Jean-Marc Crevoisier, Katja Zürcher, Ariane Geiser www.edi.admin.ch

and alleviating suffering caused by disease and accidents. The State Secretariat for FOPH tackles issues such as epidemiology and infectious diseas­ education and Research SER www.sbf.admin.ch es, substance abuse and drug prevention, food safety, noise and Director: State Secretary Staff: Revenue: 2 315 500.– radiation protection, assessment and monitoring of chemicals Mauro Dell’Ambrogio 98 Expenditure: 2 068 174 700.– and toxic products, stem cell research and bioterrorism, and The SER is responsible for drafting and implementing health and accident insurance. federal policy in the areas of further and university education, research and space affairs. The most important education dos­ siers are the Swiss school-leaving certificate, the promotion of Federal Statistical Office FSO www.statistik.admin.ch cantonal universities and preparation for and assessment of the Director: Staff: Revenue: 1 056 000.– implementation of the federal performance mandate in relation Jürg Marti 533 Expenditure: 157 418 000.– to the Federal Institutes of Technology ETH. The SER invests Statistics help to create transparency in relation to so­ in the quality of Switzerland as a research location with re­ cial and political issues. The FSO therefore publishes informa­ sources for the Swiss National Science Foundation, academics, tion on the situation and trends in Switzerland in many differ­ non-university research institutes, Switzerland’s memberships ent areas of life. It provides the quantitative information needed in international research organisations and cooperation in in­ to understand the present and to plan for the future. The Statis­ ternational scientific programmes. tical Yearbook, Pocket Statistics and, most importantly, the new internet portal provide an overview of the available information and give links to more detailed statistics. The FSO ensures that Federal institutes of the services it provides are scientific, topical, user-friendly and Technology Group ETH Group www.ethrat.ch comply with data protection regulations, as set out in the guide­ President of the ETH Board: Staff: Revenue: – lines. Fritz Schiesser 12 000 Expenditure: 2 154 582 000.– The Federal Institutes of Technology in Zurich and Lausanne as well as four research institutes: the Paul Scher­ Federal Social insurance Office FSIO www.bsv.admin.ch rer Institute, WSL (the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow Director: Staff: Revenue: 503 727 600.– and Landscape Research), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories Yves Rossier 250 Expenditure: 12 641 714 100.– for Materials Testing and Research) and Eawag (Swiss Federal Switzerland has an effective and solid social insurance Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) achieve academic system. It is an important element in upholding social peace, results at the highest level with roughly the 12 000-strong staff and therefore needs to be maintained in the future and under and nearly 20 000 students and post-graduate students as well difficult economic conditions. The FSIO ensures the reliability as a 580-strong professoriate. of this social insurance system within its areas of responsibil­ These institutions are grouped together under the ETH ity and adjusts it to the new challenges: old age and survivors’ Group, which the ETH Board strategically manages in its capac­ insurance (AHV), invalidity insurance (IV), supplementary ity as supervisory body. The ETH Board approves and supervises benefits, occupational pension funds, compensation for loss of the development plans, controlling and ensures coordination. earnings for people on national service and women on mater­ It draws up estimates and accounts for the ETH Group’s budget nity leave, and family allowances in the agricultural sector. In and coordinates the management and maintenance of its real addition, it is responsible at federal level for dealing with issues estate. relating to family, children, youth and old-age, generational re­ lationships and for general socio-political issues. The FSIO over­ sees the work of the executive bodies and is responsible for the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products regular adjustment of legislation to the changing social reality. Swissmedic www.swissmedic.ch To a certain extent it is itself the authority that implements the Director: Staff: Revenue: 76 260 000.– law, as for example in the area of incentive funding for supple­ Jürg Schnetzer 284 Expenditure: 74 750 000.– mentary childcare. The FSIO is currently concentrating on the The protection of humans and animals requires that all consolidation of Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance (amendment therapeutic products are officially monitored. Swissmedic en­ of the 11th revision, preliminary work on the 12th revision) and sures that only high-quality, safe and effective medicines are Invalidity Insurance (Additional Funding, implementation of made available. Full-scale testing of therapeutic products makes the fifth Invalidity Insurance revision), on structural reform in it possible to identify new risks at an early stage and ensure the occupational pension funds (improved supervision) as well as swift implementation of the appropriate safety measures. on the reorganisation of state pension funds and on the imple­ mentation of the Federal Act on Family Allowances.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 55 Federal Department of Justice and Police FDJP

how heavy is a kilo?

According to the definition, a kilogram corresponds to the mass of the standard kilogram, which has been kept Ain Paris since 1889. The standard kilogram is a platinum­ iridium alloy cylinder measuring 39 millimetres in height and diameter. The official Swiss copy has, as is also the case in many other countries, gained in weight over time (or the original may have lost in weight, no-one is sure which). The deviation is 73 milli­ onths of a gram. At first glance that may seem like very little, but this devi­ ation when recorded in high precision measurements is com­ pounded over time at the level of less precise measurements. Ultimately each weighing is dependent on this standard. This poses a problem for precision measurement technolo­ gy in the long term, which is why scientists around the world are working on establishing a new definition of the kilogram. One of those scientists is Peter Fuchs, a physicist at the Fe­ deral Office of Metrology in Wabern, who heads the “mass” laboratory. The kilogram is the only unit of measurement that is still based on a prototype and not on a physical constant. The me­ tre, for example, is based on the speed of light. It is defined as the distance travelled by light in a specific amount of time, which amounts to approximately a three hundred millionth of a second. The standard metre which used to be used as the reference length is no longer in a laboratory, but a museum. It is quite possible that thanks to the research conducted by Peter Fuchs with his highly precise measuring equipment, the 120-year­ old prototype kilogram could soon suffer the same fate.

Peter Fuchs is one of the around 2400 federal employees at the Federal Department of Justice and Police FDJP. Few people know about his work, but it benefits a great many people.

56 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 57 Federal Department of Justice and Police FDJP

General Secretariat www.ejpd.admin.ch They are also responsible for organising the protection of hun­

Secretary-General: Staff: 118 GS Revenue: 120 000.– dreds of foreign nationals who must be protected under interna­ Sonja Bietenhard ISC: 122 GS Expenditure: 67 851 700.– tional law, of local government officers and of federal buildings. Head of ISC: ISC Revenue: 61 064 300.– christian Baumann ISC Expenditure: 70 751 000.– They see to all the necessary steps involved in issuing passports Like traffic lights at a very busy junction, the General Secretari- or also issue entry bans. at is responsible for ensuring that the various parts of the FDJP Fedpol staff provide services to national and international work together as a team: it coordinates business for parliament partners, such as database operations to search for persons or and the Federal Council; it informs the public via the media or property and to identify persons and traces. Finally, they also internet of the Department’s activities; and it manages human formulate the necessary agreements for international police co­ resources and finances for the whole department. operation, such as Switzerland’s incorporation into the Schen­ The Information Technology Service Centre is a special unit gen area. which develops and manages security-related IT applications in the areas of justice, police and migration, such as search sys­ tems or criminal records. It is also responsible for monitoring Federal Office for Migration FOM www.bfm.admin.ch post and telecommunications. Director: Staff: Revenue: 34 093 500.– eduard Gnesa 640 Expenditure: 776 179 400.– The Federal Office for Migration is responsible for all Federal Office of Justice FOJ www.bj.admin.ch foreign nationals as well as asylum seekers and refugees. At Director: Staff: Revenue: 12 480 000.– the end of 2007, there were 1 570 965 people in possession of a Michael Leupold 204 Expenditure: 146 869 000.– residence permit or a permanent residence permit and 40 653 The Federal Office of Justice prepares decrees related to asylum seekers or provisionally admitted persons. This accounts the main areas of law, including the civil code, criminal code, for more than 1.6m people, half of whom are workers on which debt collection and bankruptcy law, international private law, the economy depends. as well as public and administrative law. The office also advises In 2007 the Federal Office for Migration ruled on 45 000 natu­ the other agencies of the Federal Administration on all legisla­ ralisation applications and over 9 500 asylum applications. It has tive matters. It is responsible for the supervision of the commer­ issued some 177 100 work permits and over 638 800 visas. cial register, the register of births, marriages and deaths, the The integration of foreign nationals is important; the basic land registry, debt collection and bankruptcy and the enforce­ rules for living together must be accepted. For the most part ment of sentencing and criminal records. It provides building integration works well, although there is always room for im­ subsidies for the costs incurred by the cantons for construction provement. In cooperation with several departments and offic­ work in connection with the implementation of criminal pen­ es, over 40 integration measures are being implemented, which alties and measures. Operational subsidies for youth welfare were approved by the Federal Council in its 2007 report on in­ services premises also help to ensure the quality of correctional tegration measures. The most important integration measures education work. relate to language skills, employment and education. The Federal Office of Justice represents Switzerland at in­ ternational level before the Strasbourg human rights bodies and in many other organisations and is the national agency dealing Office of the Attorney with international child abductions and adoptions. The Office General of Switzerland OAS www.ba.admin.ch collaborates with foreign authorities in the spheres of legal aid Office of the Attorney General Staff: Revenue: 590 200.– and extraditions. of Switzerland: erwin Beyeler 112 Expenditure: 35 956 200.– As the Confederation’s prosecuting authority, the Of­ fice of the Attorney General of Switzerland, which is part of the Federal Office of Police Fedpol www.fedpol.admin.ch FDJP, is responsible for investigating and prosecuting offences Director: Staff: Revenue: 6 785 000.– against the Confederation or that seriously affect its interests. Jean-Luc vez 829 Expenditure: 240 225 600.– Offences which come under federal jurisdiction are, for ex­ Fedpol staff carry out tasks in various areas to protect ample, espionage, abuse of office by federal employees, and the population and the Swiss constitutional state. They inves­ crimes involving explosives or radioactive material. As the fed­ tigate several hundred cases a year, for example, in which the eral investigation and prosecuting authority, the Office of the Confederation is responsible for prosecution. Terrorism, organ­ Attorney General of Switzerland also deals with cases of organ­ ised crime and money laundering are a top priority. Fedpol staff ised crime and terrorism, money laundering and bribery and also support the cantonal police in numerous procedures, such corruption, and white collar crime with major international or as the fight against internet child pornography. intercantonal implications.

58 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: eveline Widmer-Schlumpf

Federal Palace West Wing, 3003 Bern 031 322 18 18 Information Officer: Brigitte Hauser-Süess [email protected] www.ejpd.admin.ch

Other tasks are the implementation of mutual assistance appli­ Swiss institute for comparative Law SICL www.isdc.ch cations by foreign prosecuting authorities and the promotion of Director: Staff: Revenue: 2 244 200.– cross-border cooperation in fighting crime. eleanor cashin Ritaine 32 Expenditure: 7 520 700.– This independent institute advises international organ­ isations, courts of law, law firms, authorities, companies and Federal Office of Metrology Metas www.metas.ch individuals in Switzerland and abroad on points of law on all Director: Staff: Revenue: 8 350 700.– national legal systems. It also provides Swiss law-makers with christian Bock 114 Expenditure: 35 062 300.– reference models and sources of inspiration for drawing up and Swiss goods and services are known for their high qual­ revising laws and international treaties. ity, precision and reliability. In order to reach this standard, our The institute library has 330 000 reference works in over 60 economy needs to be in a position to measure, test and assess languages for academics everywhere. the properties of its goods and services to the requisite degree The SICL holds several events each year on topical subjects of of precision. comparative law and regularly publishes its own research work. When assessing the precision of production, calculating electrical energy or keeping within the prescribed limits in the environment, the economy and society only function if the right Federal Gaming Board FGB www.esbk.admin.ch measurements are made correctly. Director: Staff: Revenue: 5 122 200.– The Federal Office of Metrology carries out Switzerland’s Jean-Marie Jordan 32 Expenditure: 9 281 800.– reference measuring, ensures it is internationally recognised The Federal Gaming Board supervises the 19 casinos and passes on the measuring data with the required precision that exist in Switzerland. It monitors the compliance with legal to research institutes, business and the general public. It is able guidelines, which are intended to guarantee patrons a fair and to calibrate the most precise measuring instruments, thereby enjoyable game. One of the Board’s central concerns is in par­ ensuring that Switzerland is able to measure and test to the ticular that casinos act professionally and implement the meas­ requisite degree. ures prescribed to prevent compulsive gambling. It ensures that the windfall that casinos pass on in the form of taxes does not entail human suffering and high social costs. The Federal Gam­ Federal institute of intellectual Property IIP www.ige.ch ing Board assesses the gaming tax, most of which flows into Director: Staff: Revenue: 41 378 000.– the AHV equalisation fund, thereby benefiting the population Roland Grossenbacher 215 Expenditure: 46 517 000.– at large. In addition, it fights unlawful gaming outside casinos. Is the coat of arms on Swiss army knives merely deco­ rative or is it a brand name? Are cosmetics “Swiss made” if, despite being developed in Switzerland, they are produced abroad? And what is the Swiss cross doing on Chinese pans? In a word: How much Swiss input does a product have to have for it to be branded as a Swiss product? The Institute is concerned with the legal aspects of this very topical and hot subject. All these questions relate to nothing less than Switzerland’s posi­ tioning as a business location and the good reputation of Swiss designations of origin. The Institute, commonly known as the patent office, pro­ tects not only (ground-breaking) inventions: for example, it also registers the design for a piece of furniture or the trade mark for a new drink and searches for existing inventions so that innova­ tive companies have greater legal leverage if someone wants to copy their intellectual property.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 59 60 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide Federal Department of Defence, civil Protection and Sport DDPS

Search, boy!

ome two hundred years ago Bernese troops e stablished a defensive position here against SNapoleon’s army of 12 000 men that was advancing on the town. In the Battle of Grauholz, despite fierce re - sistance, the barely 900 -strong contingent fell to the all - powerful enemy. The French victory in 1798 brought down the Ancien Régime in Bern, marking the end of the old Confederation. The ruins where Captain Andrea Schwarz trains her dog Orco to look for people buried under rubble, are clearly more recent – and man -made. They are part of the Sand military camp in Schönbühl, which is mainly used for the training and deployment of the armed forces’ pack animal, veterinary and dog handler units. Before being recruited, Andrea Schwarz had to take an aptitude test as did Orco her dog. As a military dog handler, Captain Schwarz has to complete a very time -consuming off -duty compulsory training and work programme with her dog each year so that she and her canine colleague are ready at any time to spring into action as a well -rehearsed team. Orco is one of the 450 or so dogs that provide a service for the Swiss Armed Forces. Effectively a first response unit, he and his mistress are available in the event of disasters for searches by civilian and military rescue forces – both in Switzerland and abroad.

Andrea Schwarz is one of the around 12 500 federal employees in the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport DDPS. Few people know about her work, but it benefits a great many people.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 61 Federal Department of Defence, civil Protection and Sport DDPS

General Secretariat Office of the Armed Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: 2 458 000.– Forces Attorney General www.oa.admin.ch Markus Seiler 306 Expenditure: 138 954 785.– Armed Forces Attorney General: Staff and budget included in the The Head of the DDPS has a very wide range of respon­ Brigadier Dieter Weber General Secretariat figures sibilities and is supported in his daily work by the General Sec­ The Office of the Armed Forces Attorney General AFAG retariat, which is a team of specialists from very varied fields ensures that the military justice system can fulfil its task in­ that also plans for the middle and long term. The GS manages, dependently of armed forces command and of the administra­ coordinates and monitors the use of Department funds in the tion. The Armed Forces Attorney General is the highest mili­ areas of personnel, finances, legal affairs, IT, and area planning tary prosecutor. He supervises the proper conduct of criminal and environment policy. It is also responsible for communica- proceedings and is also responsible for pursuing suspected war tion, the Library Am Guisanplatz, translation services, the DDPS criminals, under the Geneva Convention, regardless of their na­ Damage Compensation Centre and Information Security and Fa­ tionality and the location of the crimes they commit. cility Protection (ISFP). For administrative purposes, the following are also affiliated to the GS: Defence www.armee.ch • The Directorate for Security Policy (DSP), which is responsible Chief of the Armed Forces a.i.: Staff: Revenue: 359 544 400.– for security policy strategy, coordinates the department’s in­ Major General André Blattmann 9775 Expenditure: 5 141 011 800.– ternational contacts, provides security policy support of armed The second D in DDPS stands for defence. Defence is the forces operations in Switzerland and abroad, and armed forc­ largest division in the department and is led by the Chief of the es planning and defence procurement, and deals with arms Armed Forces who holds the rank of lieutenant general (three­ control and disarmament policy. star general). The Defence sector consists of the Armed Forc­ • The Strategic Intelligence Service (SIS), which procures and es Planning Staff and the Armed Forces Joint Staff, the Land analyses – mainly for the national government – political, eco­ Forces and the Air Force, the Armed Forces College, the Armed nomic, military and techno-scientific intelligence from abroad Forces Logistics Organisation and the Armed Forces Command on developments that either pose a risk or offer an opportu­ Support Organisation. nity for Switzerland. The Armed Forces Planning Staff has to look ahead and plan • Parts of the Service for Analysis and Prevention (SAP). The SAP for tomorrow’s armed forces and the military equipment they recognises in good time threats, arising for example from ter­ require. The Federal Council then submits these requirements to rorism, espionage or violent extremism. parliament for approval in the annual armaments programmes. • The Staff of the Federal Council Security Committee (SFCSC). The Armed Forces Joint Staff is in charge of planning and en­ The Security Committee comprises three federal council­ sures the required level of readiness of the forces and opera­ lors (defence minister, justice minister and foreign minister) tions, whether for the security for the WEF Annual Meeting in whose business is first examined by the Security Steering Davos, peace support in the Balkans (e.g. by means of Swisscoy Group. Both committees are supported by the SFCSC by means in Kosovo) or disaster relief for avalanches, flooding or forest of regular situation assessments and assistance in crisis man­ fires in Switzerland or abroad. agement at federal level. The Commanders of the Land Forces and the Air Force, also The General Secretariat also looks after the three world-famous lieutenant generals, bear overall responsibility for training the Geneva Centres: the Geneva International Centre for Humani­ Land Forces and the Air Force and for preparing ground and air tarian Demining, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and the units for action. Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces. The militia officers and professional militia men and women are educated and trained at the Armed Forces College. Logistics involves maintenance, medical services, transport, infrastruc­ ture and the supply and return of arms, equipment and food. The command and control support organisation provides all necessary electronic support services.

62 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: ueli Maurer

Federal Palace East Wing, 3003 Bern 031 324 50 58 Information officers: Jean-Blaise Defago, Martin Bühler, Sebastian Hueber www.vbs.admin.ch

civil protection www.bevoelkerungsschutz.ch Armasuisse www.armasuisse.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 11 942 000.– Chief of Defence Procurement: Staff: Revenue: 1 218 405 800.– Willi Scholl 241 Expenditure: 135 584 300.– Jakob Baumann 933 Expenditure: 865 738 780.– The P in DDPS stands for civil protection. Civil protec­ Armasuisse is the DDPS competence centre for procure­ tion is an integrated system to provide crisis management, pro­ ment, technology, real estate and geodata. It ensures that the tection, rescue and assistance. It is designed to ensure coordi­ armed forces and civil protection are supplied with the systems, nation and cooperation between the five partner organisations: vehicles, equipment and properties that they require. Armas­ the police and fire services, the health service, technical opera­ uisse is one of two federal government procurement centres. tions and civil defence. A joint management body is responsible There is scarcely a household in Switzerland that does not have for coordinating and managing operations in the event of disas­ some armasuisse product such as the high quality products pro­ ters and emergencies. duced by the Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo) or the Responsibility for civil protection lies mainly with the can­ personal equipment of a Swiss Soldier. tons. The federal government, in particular the Federal Office Armasuisse is undergoing a restructuring phase and will for Civil Protection (FOCP) takes care of the general planning work more closely with its client, the armed forces. Armasuisse and coordination of NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical will in future comprise the Corporate Management Staff, the threats) protection, early warning and alerting systems and Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), the Central Services other emergency procedures, training and protective infra­ and the following areas of competence: structure. The federal government is responsible particularly • Advanced command and control and reconnaissance systems for issuing instructions in the event of increased radioactivity, (e.g. procurement of simulators) emergencies relating to dams, epidemics and livestock epidem­ • Land systems (e.g. procurement of armoured vehicles) ics, and armed conflict. • Air systems (e.g. procurement of aircraft for the Confederation) The National Emergency Operations Centre in Zurich is re­ • Purchasing and cooperation sponsible for warning and alerting the authorities and emer­ • Science and technology, and gency services. The Spiez Laboratory is Switzerland’s specialist • Real estate (manages in the region of 26 000 properties and institute for protection from nuclear, biological and chemical 26 000 hectares of land belonging to the DDPS) threats and hazards. Its services are often required by the UN As Armasuisse is responsible for arms and equipment during and other international organisations. their entire life cycle, it is also responsible for their liquidation.

Sport www.baspo.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 15 912 000.– Matthias Remund 340 Expenditure: 174 173 100.– The S in DDPS stands for Sport. The Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) promotes sport and physical activity for the whole population. Its activities focus on the positive effects of sport and physical activity: health, education, performance and society. The FOSPO devises and develops national sports policy and implements the resulting tasks. The Swiss Federal Insti­ tute of Sports in Magglingen is responsible for training, and re­ search and development. It also runs the national sports promo­ tion programme Youth + Sport in which around 800 000 young sportspeople in 60 different disciplines take part each year. In Magglingen, above Biel, and in Tenero near Locarno, the FOSPO runs state-of-the-art education, training and course cen­ tres for use by universities, associations, clubs and schools.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 63 Federal Department of Finance FDF

What have we got here then?

ccording to the customs declaration this container is laden with exactly ten million cigarettes produced and packaged in ADagmersellen bound for export to the Middle East. The manufacturer has registered the consignment at the Klein - hünigen customs office and is expecting clearance for export as usual. Customs officer Denise Ulmann at the Basel Rhine port contai - ner terminal decides to take a closer look. When inspecting merchandise she checks that all the details regarding the product, such as value, weight, quantity and many others are correct. If so, she releases the consignment and writes up her report. Of course Denise Ulmann doesn’t unload the whole container or open up each box; she has no grounds to suspect that there is anything amiss. As a rule she and her colleagues have to limit themselves to spot checks. Given Switzerland’s huge volume of foreign trade it isn’t possi - ble to do anything else: Each year our country exports and imports goods to the value of around CHF 200 billion. Exports channelled along the Rhine alone amount to six and a half million tonnes a year. If Denise Ulmann wanted to inspect each and every gram – that’s roughly how much a cigarette weighs – she might as well give up.

Denise Ulmann is one of the around 9200 employees at the Federal Department of Finance FDF. Few people know about her work, but it benefits a great many people.

64 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 65 Federal Department of Finance FDF

General Secretariat Federal Office of Personnel FOPER www.epa.admin.ch Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: 4 100.– Director: Staff: Revenue: 93 000.– elisabeth Meyerhans Sarasin 106 Expenditure: 115 401 100.– Barbara Schaerer 93 Expenditure: 140 906 910.– On a Tuesday evening in the Bernerhof, all the lights There is a person behind every success – this is just as are burning and the offices are a hive of activity. The depart­ true in the federal administration. It is a large employer with ments are submitting their final comments on the items of busi­ well-qualified and motivated staff who not only bring exper­ ness concerning the FDF for the next morning’s Federal Council tise to the job, but also creativity and breadth of vision. Around meeting. In the General Secretariat, the finishing touches are 36 000 work within the federal administration in a wide range being made to the proposals. of fields, some of which are unique. The GS plans the items of business and supports Federal As a modern and attractive employer, the federal adminis­ Councillor Hans-Rudolf Merz. The general public is informed tration also contributes to the country’s strong standing in in­ through the department’s communications. Improvisation ternational competition among locations for work. In order for would be out of place here, not least due to the different lan­ that to remain the case, FOPER continuously adapts its human guage versions: all information regarding Federal Council af­ resources policy to ensure that the federal administration can fairs is provided simultaneously in German, French and Italian. continue to attract and retain the best people for the job. The Federal Strategy Unit for Information Technology is also affil­ iated to the GS. It draws up the principles for the further devel­ opment of information technology in the federal administration Federal Tax Administration FTA www.estv.admin.ch and coordinates cooperation between the federal government, Director: Staff: Revenue: 44 834 491 000.– the cantons and the communes in the field of e-Government. urs ursprung 980 Expenditure: 6 077 921 500.– Why does the server at the fast-food counter ask you if you would like your hamburger to eat in or take away? It’s not Federal Finance Administration FFA www.efv.admin.ch just to know whether or not to put the food in a bag. The tax on Director: Staff: Revenue: 2 577 761 949.– your hamburger to go is lower than if you eat it in the restau­ Peter Siegenthaler 214 excl. Swissmint (27) Expenditure: 6 966 253 866.– rant – 2.4% instead of 7.6%. That does seem a bit complicated, and CCO (566) but there are other issues and problems, too, which is why the The FFA is the custodian of the federal coffers. The old rule “not FTA has prepared a complete revision of the VAT Act that is now to spend more than you earn” also applies here. In 2001, vot­ being debated in parliament. And this is only one of its many ers instructed the Federal Council and parliament not to run up tasks. Overall, it is the FTA that is responsible for collecting the any further debt. The debt brake therefore requires spending not bulk of federal revenues. to increase more quickly than revenue. The FFA has to comply with this requirement when it draws up the budget for the com­ ing year. The FFA also draws up a financial plan for the three Federal customs Administration FCA www.ezv.admin.ch following years to give political actors sufficient time to make Director: Staff: Revenue: 11 031 700 000.– the appropriate changes. The financial plan lists all the agreed Rudolf Dietrich 4427 Expenditure: 1 368 098 700.– and envisaged expenditures. This allows sufficient time to decide Switzerland generates every second franc abroad. It can whether projects need to be halted or if new sources of revenue only do this if the international movements of goods and peo­ need to be sought. ple flow smoothly. The FCA therefore tries to keep the time it Through its transparent accounts, the FFA ensures that par­ takes to cross the border to a minimum. At the same time it liament and the people can see how their tax money is being ensures that the applicable legal requirements are met. In ad­ spent and whether their decisions are being implemented. In ad­ dition it levies a number of consumption taxes such as VAT, tax dition, the FFA also oversees the legal framework of the Swiss fi­ on mineral oil or tobacco. The FCA is also responsible for check­ nancial centre and represents the country’s interests with regard ing precious metals, issuing motorway vignettes, collecting the to international financial and monetary issues. mileage-related heavy vehicle charge and other tasks. The Border Guard is the uniformed and armed section of the FCA and is the largest national civilian security organisa­ tion. Its duties include conducting searches for people, vehicles and other objects, fighting drug smuggling and document for­ gery, identity checks and traffic police duties, as well as customs services and fighting smuggling in general.

66 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: hans-Rudolf Merz

Bernerhof, 3003 Bern 031 322 60 33 Information officers: Tanja Kocher, Danièle Bersier www.efd.admin.ch [email protected]

Federal Office of information Technology, Supervisory Authority Finma. It was created through the merger Systems and Telecommunication BIT www.bit.admin.ch of the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC), the Federal Director: Staff: Revenue: 322 527 600.– Office of Private Insurance (FOPI) and the Anti-Money Launder­ Marius Redli 896 Expenditure: 320 550 100.– ing Control Authority. There is currently an intensive exchange of personal data from residents’ registers between the communes, the can­ tons and the Confederation. Around 100 different applications Swiss Federal Audit Office SFAO www.efk.admin.ch used to manage residents’ data are linked to the Sedex (secure Director: Staff: Revenue: 1 011 000.– data exchange) data exchange platform in order to prepare for Kurt Grüter 86 Expenditure: 21 060 300.– the 2010 census, which will primarily be based on registry and As the Confederation’s supreme audit institution, the administrative data.Sedex and numerous other applications op­ SFAO has the right to request information from all federal em­ erate using digital certificates. So far the FOITT has issued over ployees about their work. It endeavours to identify deficiencies 50 000 such certificates that are being used productively by the and weaknesses from a critical distance. It achieves improve­ cantons and the federal administration. As a recognised pro­ ments in the performance of federal activities by convincing vider of digital certificates, the FOITT is making a significant staff of its expert recommendations. The SFAO relies on dia­ contribution to IT security and is a pioneer in the use of legally logue because its recommendations are more likely to be ac­ recognised digital signatures in public administration in Swit­ cepted. zerland.

Swiss Alcohol Board SAB www.eav.admin.ch Federal Office for Buildings Director: Staff: Revenue: 291 175 000.– Alexandre Schmidt 149 Expenditure: 30 685 000.– and Logistics FOBL www.bbl.admin.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 744 334 100.– The SAB regulates the market for alcohol by means of Gustave e. Marchand 653 Expenditure: 699 156 200.– taxes, controls and restrictions on trading and advertising. Al­ Why are most of the offices in the Federal Administra­ cosuisse, the SAB’s profit centre is responsible for trade in etha­ tion filled with the same light grey furniture? It is because fed­ nol (high grade alcohol). eral employees are not allowed to simply purchase their desks As part of the total revision of the Alcohol Act, the questions and chairs from any furniture manufacturer that takes their of a liberalisation of the ethanol market by lifting the federal fancy. Offices would have more of a personal touch, but this monopoly and the possible privatisation of Alcosuisse will be would be costly. Standardised items purchased in bulk are less examined. The general conditions for the domestic production expensive than individual purchases. Large numbers of quotes of spirits will also be established along with an adjustment of have to be requested – a thousand desks, ten pallets of ballpoint proven provisions on prevention. pens, tonnes of printer paper – and the contract is awarded to the best value bid. This is one of the responsibilities of the FOBL, which also maintains and manages the federal govern­ Federal Pension Fund Publica www.publica.ch ment’s properties. Director: Staff: Revenue: 32 500 000.– Werner hertzog 120 Expenditure: 29 000 000.– The Publica Act entered into force on 1 July 2008. That Swiss Financial Market completed the switch from a defined benefit plan to a contribu­ Supervisory Authority Finma www.finma.ch tory plan and the organisation’s restructuring as a collective in­ Director: Staff: Revenue: 94 600 000.– stitution. With a total of 9 different pension schemes Publica has Patrick Raaflaub 268 Expenditure: 94 600 000.– entered a new era. Switzerland has one of the world’s leading financial Pension scheme members will also have to contribute their markets. The financial sector is therefore extremely important share to future financial stability. The new regulations require for the country’s economy. In view of the dynamic developments that institution has sufficient funds to meet its promised pay­ in the financial markets and the ever increasing complexity of ments, which as a result of the change of structure could lead financial market supervision there was a need to improve the to significantly higher contribution payments for older pension institutional structure of the existing supervisory authorities. scheme members in the coming years. Since the beginning of 2009, supervision of the core areas of the financial sector (banks, insurance companies, stock exchange etc.) is undertaken by a single body, the Swiss Financial Market

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 67 68 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide Federal Department of economic Affairs FDEA

it’s sunny enough…

… even if the sky appears slightly overcast. The sun shines 40 000 billion kilowatt hours a year on Switzerland, which amounts to 220 times more energy than we currently use. We need to make far better use of this immense free extra­ terrestrial power station. That is precisely the thought of Alain Dietrich from the Innovation Promotion Agency CTI, which is part of the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology OPET. Accompanied by two executives from Oerlikon Solar, Jürg Steinmann (right) and Michael Schmidt, Mr. Dietrich examines the photovoltaic installation on the roof of the company in Trübbach. Do the newly developed thin-film silicon solar modules meet expectations? Are they as efficient as predicted in the project de­ scription? Will they reduce power production costs as expected? Is further federal funding justified to develop these modules for the market? As project manager in the field of engineering technology at the CTI, Alain Dietrich is interested in helping companies rapidly convert new knowledge from research into products. This is why the CTI supports cooperation between universities and business. The 26 gigawatt hours of solar power a year currently produced cover only around 0.03% of the country’s electricity consumption. However, with its 400 square kilometres of roof area, Switzerland could produce roughly a third of its heating and electricity requi­ rements through solar energy!

Alain Dietrich is one of the around 2200 federal employees at the Federal Department of Economic Affairs FDEA. Few people know about his work, but it benefits a great many people.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 69 Federal Department of economic Affairs FDEA

General Secretariat www.evd.admin.ch Seco also contributes to the sustainable development and in­

Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: 24 874 300.– tegration of countries from the South and East into the world Walter Thurnher 180 Expenditure: 101 466 800.– economy and to the reduction of social and economic disparities The General Secretariat is the staff and coordination of­ in the enlarged EU. fice of the Department and supports and advises the head of The Swiss Accreditation Service SAS which is now affiliated Department in her daily work. Its brief also involves planning, to Seco is responsible for the accreditation of public and pri­ coordinating and monitoring the department’s activities and it vate inspection and conformity assessment bodies in accordance is responsible for overseeing the results and assessing the ef­ with internationally recognised standards. fects of its decisions. The General Secretariat provides human resources, finances and logistics, accounting and translation services for the whole department, as well as IT services. Federal Office for Professional The Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau and the Central Office education and Technology OPET www.bbt.admin.ch for Civilian Service are also affiliated to the General Secretariat. Director: Staff: Revenue: 2 300 000.– Swiss consumers have access to over 22 million different prod­ ursula Renold 135 Expenditure: 1 157 163 200.– ucts and services. The Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau takes Education, research and innovation are essential for the account of the interests of consumers and of the economy as a economic, societal and social development of our country. The whole. In order to publicise consumer concerns, it also promotes OPET deals with all three areas: It is the federal government’s access to objective information. competence centre for vocational and professional education Last year, almost two thousand Swiss men were approved and training, Universities of Applied Sciences and innovation for civilian service. These men were able to demonstrate cred­ promotion. In this way, the OPET plays its part by training well ibly that they would be unable to perform military service for qualified workers and making Switzerland an attractive loca­ reasons of conscience. The Central Office for Civilian Service tion in which to do business. Together with the cantons and the makes these decisions at its seven regional centres throughout professional associations, the OPET aims to ensure a high-level the country. It is also responsible for the recognition of the in­ of vocational training. It coordinates the universities of applied stitutions in which the service is to be performed and provides sciences, which not only train future managers, but are also advice to both the individuals and the institutions concerned. involved in applied research and development. The Innovation Promotion Agency CTI acts as a bridge between science and so­ ciety. It supports research projects, the transfer of knowledge State Secretariat for economic Affairs Seco www.seco.admin.ch and technology between universities and businesses and the re­

Director: Staff: Revenue: 12 638 600.– cruitment of people with innovative ideas for new companies. Jean-Daniel Gerber 416 Expenditure: 942 626 800.– Seco is the Swiss Confederation’s central office for all core issues of economic policy. Its stated aim is to promote sus­ Federal Office for Agriculture FOAG www.blw.admin.ch tainable economic growth by creating an appropriate regulatory Director: Staff: Revenue: 205 048 300.– and economic framework. Manfred Bötsch 958 Expenditure: 3 717 135 444.– Employers and employees should be able to benefit from Switzerland has 1 065 118 hectares of farmland, growth-oriented policies, the removal of barriers to trade, and 1 560 000 head of cattle in its pastures and 188 024 people em­ the reduction of Switzerland’s relatively high prices. On the do­ ployed in the agricultural sector. Each year, the federal gov­ mestic front, Seco acts as an interface between business, so­ ernment provides agriculture with financial support of around cial partners and government. It supports the regionally and CHF 3.4 billion. FOAG works to ensure that the country’s farm­ structurally balanced development of the economy and ensures ers produce high quality foodstuffs in a way that is both sus­ the protection of employees. Through its labour market policy tainable and market-oriented. Its aim is to have a multifunc­ it contributes to the prevention and tackling of unemployment tional farming system that contributes towards meeting the and consequently to upholding social peace. SECO also helps to food needs of the population and maintaining the basic neces­ ensure access to all markets for Swiss goods and services and sities of life as well as towards the settlement of rural areas. It investment. In terms of foreign economic policy, it is active in must also seek a socially acceptable balance between develop­ the formulation of efficient, fair and transparent rules for the ments in domestic policy and the need to respond to changing world economy. Switzerland’s relations to the European Union external factors. The FOAG deals with the development of rural and to the European Free Trade Association are coordinated by areas and promotes agricultural research. the Integration Office, a joint office of the FDFA and the FDEA.

70 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: Doris Leuthard

Federal Palace East Wing, 3003 Bern 031 322 20 07 Information officers: Christophe Hans, Evelyn Kobelt, Simone Hug www.evd.admin.ch

Federal veterinary Office FVO www.bvet.admin.ch The FHO works closely with property developers to ensure that

Director: Staff: Revenue: 4 633 100.– there is an adequate supply of affordable housing and that chang­ hans Wyss 153 Expenditure: 66 671 879.– ing needs are taken into account. The ageing population, chang­ A tourist carrying 200 kilos of ape meat is stopped at ing family and household structures and new lifestyles and forms the airport and another tries to illegally import souvenirs made of work also have an impact on housing. The FHO also seeks to of tortoise shell. Bluetongue has spread to Switzerland and has reconcile the interests of landlords and tenants in the area of triggered the need for a vaccination campaign for cattle, sheep tenancy law. and goats. Animal rights activists are calling for stricter laws governing livestock farming while farmers are opposed. The tabloid press calls for “effective measures against fighting dogs” Office of the Price Supervisor www.preisueberwacher.admin.ch

– many dog owners complain that they are being harassed by Price supervisor: Staff: Revenue: – “dog haters” even though they behave properly. Stefan Meierhans 14 Expenditure: 2 100 000.– All these situations have one thing in common: they are all People used to worry about the cost of a cup of coffee. difficult issues covered by the FVO: animal health, animal pro­ Now it tends to be doctors’ or hospital bills, gas and water rates, tection, food safety, species protection checks at border points or rubbish disposal and postal charges. Price supervision is and international cooperation in all these areas are dealt with aimed at protecting consumers from excessive pricing. It moni­ by FVO employees on a daily basis. Many of these are emotive tors price trends and blocks or eliminates improper price in­ issues and that is how it should be as a federal office is there for creases that have not been determined under free market condi­ people with thoughts and feelings. tions.

Federal Office for National competition commission ComCo www.weko.ch economic Supply FONES www.bwl.admin.ch Director: Staff: Revenue: 282 000.– Rafael corazza 47 Expenditure: 11 432 800.– Delegate: Staff: Revenue: 85 000.– Gisèle Girgis-Musy 30 Expenditure: 8 151 600.– It is often the case that medicines are more expensive in Switzerland buys virtually 100 per cent of its raw mate­ Switzerland than abroad, that businesses put pressure on their rials, 80 per cent of its energy, around one third of all its food, suppliers and that companies merge. Such business transactions and a large proportion of essential therapeutic products from can have an adverse effect on consumers and other companies. abroad. In cooperation with the private sector, FONES ensures ComCo monitors these transactions, prohibits illegal cartels and that people in Switzerland have supplies of vital commodities in intervenes in cases where free competition is restricted. Its stat­ a crisis situation. ed aim is to ensure unrestricted market access for businesses in Supplies of food, energy supplies and therapeutic drugs are Switzerland and open borders with foreign countries. guaranteed by protecting imports, setting up compulsory re­ serves and making full use of domestic production. In addition, it is FONES’ task to ensure the availability of transport capaci­ Swiss Federal institute for vocational ties, sensitive industrial products and information technology education and Training SFIVET www.ehb-schweiz.ch infrastructure. It also takes measures to ensure the equitable Director: Staff: Revenue: – distribution of scarce commodities. Dalia Schipper 180 Expenditure: 320 088 400.– The SFIVET is the federal government’s competence centre for basic and continuing training of VET/PET profession­ Federal housing Office FHO www.bwo.admin.ch als and conducts research and evaluations in a wide range of

Director: Staff: Revenue: 22 244 000.– fields related to professional training. Peter Gurtner 47 Expenditure: 127 806 900.– Every year at the SFIVET’s three locations: Lausanne, Luga- At Switzerland’s latitude it is impossible to survive with­ no and Zollikofen, as well as in Zurich, a total of 600 VET/PET out accommodation. Housing is therefore a basic need. However, professionals obtain a diploma or a certificate, and 6000 expert an apartment is also a capital asset. Each year around CHF 24 examiners are trained. Around 40 new education ordinances billion is invested in housing construction. Living costs are the are monitored and more than 20 research projects are carried greatest items of expenditure for households. Tenants pay some out every year. CHF 25 billion a year in rent and around CHF 18 billion is paid by house owners to creditors by way of mortgage interest payments.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 71 72 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide Federal Department of the environment, Transport, energy and communications DETEC

exactly 1140 litres per second

hat is the volume of water that flows in the Riale di Pina - scia on this nice day in June, shortly before it flows into the TVerzasca; that’s around half the average flow rate. As is often the case, an average does not necessarily tell you very much. At times, this stream slows down to barely a trickle; a violent storm however can turn it into a raging torrent. A seven hundredfold variation in flow is not uncommon for a mountain stream. That is precisely why the work of engine - er Andrea Crose from the Federal Office for the Environment’s Hydrology Division is so important. Six times a year, he measures the Riale’s water level and flow rate near Lavertezzo and calibrates the automatic hy - drometric station. This continually transmits the readings to a central database, which also gathers and analyses data from the 260 or so other measuring stations in Switzerland. Having all this data makes it possible to respond rapidly in extreme situations and plan the construction of protective barriers in good time. Here in Switzerland, the water levels of rivers and lakes can often change significantly and extremely quickly depending on the weather and the time of year. Due to the fact that rain fronts can be blocked by the Alps for days on end, Switzerland has twice as much precipitation as the rest of Europe, amounting to an average of 1429 litres per square metre and year. The water level readings generated by the nationwide mea - suring network form the basis of flow forecasts, which can be critical in extending the time available to implement protec - tion measures in the event of flooding.

Andrea Crose is one of the around 1900 federal employees at the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications DETEC. Few people know about his work, but it benefits a great many people.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 73 Federal Department of the environment, Transport, energy and communications DETEC

General Secretariat www.uvek.admin.ch Federal Office of civil Aviation FOCA www.aviation.admin.ch

Secretary-General: Staff: Revenue: 125 000.– Director Staff: Revenue: 10 155 000.– hans Werder 75 Expenditure: 68 349 600.– Matthias Suhr 237 Expenditure: 107 024 646.– DETEC’s federal offices are located in Ittigen and Biel. “Safety first” is the FOCA’s overriding principle. The The office directors meet at the General Secretariat (GS) in Bern FOCA uses a system of certificates and inspections to guaran­ several times a year as it is not unusual for several offices to tee the implementation of high-level safety standards measured have a common interest in ongoing business. The meeting pro­ against a European cross-section. A Safety Management Sys­ vides an opportunity to discuss these issues at the highest level. tem, designed to recognise and minimise risks, serves as the The GS serves as the staff office for the Head of Department. basis for the supervisory activities. It plans and coordinates all departmental activities. In addition, In order to further improve air safety, Switzerland operates it also exercises the role of owner with regard to Swiss Post, a system of non-punitive reporting. This principle allows pilots, SBB, Swisscom and Skyguide and supervises the implementa­ air traffic controllers, mechanics and ground crews to report er- tion of the strategic aims set out by the Federal Council. rors and accidents without being prosecuted by the FOCA. This The Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Tel­ approach places greater emphasis on learning from incidents evision, the Public Transport Accident Investigation Office, the that compromise safety than on penalising those at fault. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, and the postal services FOCA is performing pioneering work with its system of non- regulation authority (PostReg) are all affiliated to DETEC. punitive reporting: only a few countries in Europe operate this type of system.

Federal Office of Transport FOT www.bav.admin.ch

Director: Staff: Revenue: 6 432 000.– Swiss Federal Office of energy SFOE www.bfe.admin.ch Max Friedli 248 Expenditure: 4 708 774 250.– Director: Staff: Revenue: 14 041 700.– In a series of popular votes the Swiss population has Walter Steinmann 227 Expenditure: 207 861 700.– repeatedly approved measures to transfer transalpine The Federal Council’s energy policy is based on the fol­ heavy goods traffic from road to rail. Switzerland completed lowing four pillars: improvement of energy efficiency, promo­ the first stage of this process with the opening in mid-June 2007 tion of renewable energy sources, the replacement of existing of the Lötschberg base tunnel, one part of the New Rail Link large-scale power stations as well as increased international co­ through the Alps (NRLA). The tunnel is now fully operational operation. The SFOE has the task of substantiating these prin­ and almost running at capacity. The NRLA, which is the corner­ ciples and developing the conditions that will still guarantee stone of traffic transfer policy, also consists of the Gotthard and sufficient safe and environmentally friendly energy supplies in Ceneri base tunnels, which are still under construction. the future. The huge NRLA project is coordinated by the Federal Office The Energy Perspectives 2035 serve as the basis for the of Transport. It carries out the tasks determined by the Federal SFOE’s energy policy. The report shows that the supply of en­ Council and parliament, monitors compliance in terms of cost ergy, heating fuels and vehicle fuels can only be secured in the and deadlines and issues the necessary authorisations. long term with new, more effective regulations, procedures and The FOT is effectively the office for public transport. Swit­ promotion programmes. The SFOE has specified part of these zerland has a comprehensive and reliable transport network new measures in its plans of action. Its aim is to significantly ranging from intercity trains to trams, buses, cable cars and reduce energy consumption in Switzerland by 2020, to improve paddle steamers. The FOT makes sure that the network contin­ the energy efficiency of appliances and engines and to signifi­ ues to be modernised and is operated safely. cantly increase the share of renewable energies. Plans to expand the network are in preparation. The new The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) is the line across Zurich is already under construction, and prepara­ federal regulatory authority in charge of nuclear safety and the tions for the transboundary urban rail system in Geneva and safety of Switzerland’s nuclear power plants. The ENSI took up the new Stabio-Arcisate railway line are well advanced. Journey its duties as the successor organisation to the Federal Nuclear times between Geneva and St. Gallen should be reduced by half Safety Inspectorate (HSK) in 2009. Its duties remain the same, an hour by 2030. Public transport timetables will be further however, the HSK was part of the Federal Office of Energy, and improved with additional services. Targeted line extensions and the new ENSI is an independent organisation. more railway hubs will result in even better connections for many public transport users.

74 The Swiss Confederation a brief guide The execuTive

Department Head: Moritz Leuenberger

Federal Palace, North Wing, 3003 Bern 031 322 55 11 Information officer: André Simonazzi (until 31 March) Dominique Bugnon (from 1 April) www.uvek.admin.ch

Federal Roads Office FEDRO www.astra.admin.ch Federal Office for the environment FOEN www.umwelt-schweiz.ch

Director: Staff: Revenue: 709 638 200.– Director: Staff: Revenue: 29 000 000.– Rudolf Dieterle 360 Expenditure: 3 021 977 000.– Bruno Oberle 385 Expenditure: 797 687 200.– FEDRO ensures the flow of traffic on Swiss roads. FE­ We all want to live healthy safe lives. We also want to DRO is mandated by the Federal Council and parliament to solve be able to enjoy the beautiful countryside and mountains. We the following problems: which national road sections need to be naturally also expect a sound economy to allow us to lead com­ extended? Which road sections need to be resurfaced? Which fortable lives. tunnels need to be brought in line with the latest safety stand­ But what does all that have to do with environment policy? A ards? What is the most effective way of using available funds? great deal, especially in an Alpine country like Switzerland where Swiss roads should also be safe. FEDRO is actively involved in nature itself can be a threat. Flooding, rock slides or avalanches the federal action programme to improve road safety, Via sicura. make that blatantly clear. The FOEN helps to ensure that the can­ The aim of the programme is to significantly reduce the number tons, communes and residents are prepared for these things – be of people killed or injured in road accidents. In order to achieve it in the shape of forests to protect roads and housing, or maps in­ this, it is important to take into consideration the people and cars dicating the areas where natural hazards are most likely to occur. on the road. This is why, for example, FEDRO sets the require­ Health also has a lot to do with our environment: it is easier ments that drivers of 40-tonne trucks need to fulfil to ensure they to breathe when there is no fine particle dust or ozone in the air. transport their cargo safely and in an environmentally friendly People who are not bothered by noise have a better quality of life. way. FEDRO also modifies technical requirements affecting car Varied landscapes are not only beautiful, they are also important design (e.g. bumper height/shape) to reduce the risk of injury to for tourism. The FOEN therefore also contributes to a healthy pedestrians or cyclists. economy because it helps ensure the long-term use of landscapes, The increasing volume of traffic on the roads also has to water, soil, air and forests. be guided intelligently. FEDRO operates a traffic management system, which is run from a control centre in Emmen. The sys­ tem allows the authorities to modify the flow of traffic on the Federal Office for national road network and ensure efficient and sustainable use Spatial Development ARE www.are.admin.ch oder www.raumentwicklung.ch of the limited road network. Director a.i.: Staff: Revenue: 20 100.– christian Küng 61 Expenditure: 17 083 800.– In Switzerland, a square metre of land is built on every Federal Office of communications OFCOM www.bakom.admin.ch second. On the one hand this is due to the fact that people are

Director: Staff: Revenue: 45 885 100.– becoming increasingly mobile, which creates the need for more Martin Dumermuth 255 Expenditure: 91 018 500.– space to build roads and railway lines. On the other, there is Competition for customers on the Swiss telecommunica- an increasing demand for housing, not least due to the annual tions market is intense. The Swiss are benefiting as a result. Call increase in population, which amounts to the size of a medium­ rates are falling and there is an ever wider range of services. sized town. This leads to an increased loss of recreational space. OFCOM sets the general rules in the telecoms market so that The Federal Constitution however stipulates that land should be everyone has access to fairly priced and high quality phone and used appropriately and economically. internet services. ARE weighs up these many demands on scarce land re­ This competition can, however, also have unpleasant conse­ sources. The “Swiss spatial plan” provides a reference for spa­ quences for individual customers. Aggressive methods are used tial planning. Together with the revised Spatial Planning Act, it to land sales with new customers, calls to 0900 numbers can defines the framework of Switzerland’s future spatial and traffic give you a surprise when you get your phone bill, and young development. people get into debt with expensive ring tone subscriptions The Federal Constitution declares sustainable development without their parents knowing. OFCOM has taken measures to – finding a balance between environmental, economic and so­ help by setting up a telecommunications arbitration board to cial interests – to be a national objective. ARE coordinates these settle disputes between service providers and consumers with­ activities and collaborates closely with the cantons and com­ out having to go through the courts. munes. Today, a third of the Swiss population lives in a com­ In addition to allocating frequencies for radio and television mune that is involved in a sustainability process. stations, OFCOM also sees that the individual channels do not In addition, ARE is also involved in shaping transport policy, infringe the conditions of their licence. From 2008, private lo­ primarily focusing on projects in urban areas particularly af­ cal radio and television companies will receive a greater share fected by traffic and urban sprawl. of licence fee revenues. OFCOM ensures that these revenues are distributed fairly between the regions.

The Swiss Confederation a brief guide 75