EIDGENÖSSISCHE FINANZKONTROLLE CONTRÔLE FÉDÉRAL DES FINANCES CONTROLLO FEDERALE DELLE FINANZE SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE 2015 ANNUAL REPORT BERN | MAY 2016 SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE Monbijoustrasse 45 3003 Bern – Switzerland T. +41 58 463 11 11 F. +41 58 453 11 00 [email protected] twitter @EFK_CDF_SFAO WWW.SFAO.ADMIN.CH FOREWORD BY THE DIRECTOR WE BELIEVE IN FEDERALISM! In its letter to the Federal Council at Cantonal differences are helpful and the start of the 2015 summer break, result from federalism the Conference of the Cantonal Govern­ However, these differences have to make ments of Switzerland accused the Swiss us think. They help the Confederation Federal Audit Office (SFAO) of having a and the cantons to identify best prac­ latent mistrust of federalism… tices and to improve the system. This is true for the labour market and also for Federalism is of crucial importance in agriculture, research and environ mental Switzerland, and we take this criticism protection. Federalism helps to question seriously. preconceived ideas, to compare and to advance. Federalism enables Switzerland to try out different variations, and cantonal Not in all areas, however. In the 19th approaches stimulate innovation and century, 150 years before the euro was the search for the best solution. This is introduced, cantonal currencies were re­ true, for instance, in the field of the labour placed by the Swiss franc. The various market, as will be shown below in our old coins issued by the towns, cantons report. and bishoprics, all of different values, disappeared. At the same time, the can­ The Confederation subsidises the con­ tonal units of measure were replaced trols conducted by the cantons as part by the metric system, bringing an end of accompanying measures. In Geneva, to ounces, pints, feet, ells, perches and the subsidised portion of a company other cantonal measuring rods. This control is CHF 44 per person audited, was a development that even the most compared with CHF 300 in the two half­ fervent federalists probably no longer cantons of Appenzell. Another example question today. is the question of whether temporary employment programmes help reinte­ More concretely, federalism misun- gration. Two thirds of the participants derstood can be dangerous in these programmes in the cantons In the current fight against terrorism, of Bern, Geneva and Aargau said they the police and criminal prosecution au­ were. In the other cantons, only about thorities must cooperate and exchange half had a positive opinion, and in Ticino information beyond cantonal borders. this was less than a third. Another relevant area is IT security. ››› This year, the SFAO gave a free hand to the cartoonist Max Spring to illustrate his annual report. 4 2015 ANNUAL REPORT EIDGENÖSSISCHE FINANZKONTROLLE CONTRÔLE FÉDÉRAL DES FINANCES CONTROLLO FEDERALE DELLE FINANZE SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE Information Technology, Systems and “FEDERALISM Telecommunication. Failing that, and in accordance with the principle of subsid­ iarity, this office should be able to audit HELPS TO QUESTION the security of the cantonal IT network concerned. The SFAO made this recom­ PRECONCEIVED IDEAS, mendation in 2009, but it has not yet been implemented. TO COMPARE AND The SFAO is committed to pragmatic federalism TO ADVANCE.” A form of federalism that evolves in or­ der to address new threats. Together with its partners in the cantons, the For the second year in a row, the SFAO SFAO ensures that the public sector is has highlighted in this report the risks increasingly transparent and effective. to which the IT systems of the cantons Swiss taxpayers should have confidence and the Confederation are exposed. in their administrations, and the SFAO is The cantons should conduct regular committed to this objective. audits on the security of their IT net­ works and forward the results to other partners, including the Federal Office of Michel Huissoud, Director A SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE AUDITED BY ITS PEERS In 2015, the Swiss Federal Audit Office passed its litmus test. It underwent an audit by its peers at the European Court of Auditors (ECA), which made very positive findings: “The SFAO produces work of high quality, its staff are competent, productive and involved, and its highly professional management is determined to modernise the institution and implement these changes.”* How­ ever, the ECA’s audit report also made nine recommendations, which concern the formulation of the SFAO’s strategy, its relations with the Federal Administra­ tion’s internal audit services, the development of its methodology, and its audit planning. The SFAO has undertaken to implement the recommendations by the end of 2016. * The report on this peer review is available on the websites of the ECA and the SFAO. 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1: MAIN RESULTS 9 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CONFEDERATION: ONE LESS RESERVATION 11 A. THE SFAO LIFTS ITS RESERVATION ON THE CONFEDERATION’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 11 B. MORE EFFECTIVE AND TARGETED INTERNAL CONTROLLING 12 2. ECONOMY: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LABOUR MARKET 15 A. COMBATING WAGE DUMPING 15 B. REINTEGRATION MEASURES NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE LABOUR MARKET 16 3. EDUCATION AND RESEARCH: THE LIMITATIONS OF ETH DOMAIN SUPERVISION 21 RETHINKING THE GOVERNANCE OF THE ETH DOMAIN 21 4. INSURANCE AND SOCIAL WELFARE: SUPERVISION OF OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS’ INSURANCE IN QUESTION 25 STRENGTHENING AHV MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION 25 5. ENERGY: FEDERAL PURCHASES OF ELECTRICITY 29 PROCUREMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY: ECONOMICAL, BUT NEEDS A FRAMEWORK 29 6. DEFENCE: AN INSUFFICIENT REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT 33 A TOOL OF LIMITED USEFULNESS 33 7. JUSTICE: FROM GAMBLING MONEY TO BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS 35 A. SUPERVISION OF LOTTERY FUNDS DISTRIBUTION STILL PATCHY 35 B. THE SWISS BIOMETRIC PASSPORT IS ONE OF THE BEST 36 8. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: THE ICRC AND SWISS AID FOR EASTERN EUROPE UNDER REVIEW 39 A. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS HEADQUARTERS: GOOD RESULTS 39 B. SWISS FUNDING FOR THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: HIGH-QUALITY WORK 40 9. FEDERAL IT PROJECTS: WHO IS IN CHARGE? 43 A. THE GOOD… 43 B. …AND THE NOT SO GOOD 43 C. THE CONFEDERATION NEEDS A STEERING BODY THAT FULFILS ITS ROLE 45 6 2015 ANNUAL REPORT EIDGENÖSSISCHE FINANZKONTROLLE CONTRÔLE FÉDÉRAL DES FINANCES CONTROLLO FEDERALE DELLE FINANZE SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE PART 2: MEANS AND FIGURES 47 1. FINANCIAL SUPERVISION: OBJECTIVES, RESOURCES AND SCOPE 49 A. OBJECTIVES 49 B. FROM AUDITING THE ACCOUNTS TO BROADER SUPERVISION 50 C. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND RESOURCES 50 D. MAIN AUDIT AREAS 51 2. THE ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF THE SFAO 54 3. THE SFAO: FACTS AND FIGURES 55 A. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND HUMAN RESOURCES 55 B. REQUESTS FOR ACCESS TO INFORMATION 55 C. WHISTLE-BLOWERS 56 D. REPORTS, DIRECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS NOT YET IMPLEMENTED 57 APPENDICES 61 OVERVIEW OF COMPLETED AUDITS (MANDATE NO.) 63 ABBREVIATIONS USED 68 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 7 EIDGENÖSSISCHE FINANZKONTROLLE CONTRÔLE FÉDÉRAL DES FINANCES CONTROLLO FEDERALE DELLE FINANZE SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE PART 1 THE MAIN FINANCIAL SUPERVISION RESULTS FOR 2015 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 9 PART 1: THE MAIN RESULTS The SFAO audit on the Swissair case, as seen by Max Spring. 10 2015 ANNUAL REPORT EIDGENÖSSISCHE FINANZKONTROLLE CONTRÔLE FÉDÉRAL DES FINANCES CONTROLLO FEDERALE DELLE FINANZE SWISS FEDERAL AUDIT OFFICE 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE CONFEDERATION: ONE LESS RESERVATION In 2015, the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) first published its detailed report on the financial statements of the Confederation for 2014. This level of transparency is uncommon in Europe. Above all, that report enabled it to highlight a positive point which is crucial for the quality of the financial statements: the existence of an internal control system (ICS) in key areas of the Federal Administration. Nevertheless, the SFAO also pointed out limitations, particularly in terms of efficiency. Progress still needs to be made here. A. THE SFAO LIFTS ITS RESERVATION ON THE CONFEDERATION’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Auditing the Confederation’s financial statements 1 is one of the SFAO’s key tasks 2. These statements are prepared, but for a few exceptions, in accordance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). In 2014, the Confederation had a revenue surplus of CHF 1.2 billion according to the statement of financial performance. Its total assets amounted to CHF 111 billion, which included an accumulated deficit of CHF 29.5 billion. Its expenses amounted to CHF 64 billion. The SFAO formally certified the compliance of the state financial statements. The 2014 financial statements are in line with the statutory requirements and the provi­ sions of Article 126 of the Federal Constitution concerning budget management (debt brake) and the Financial Budget Act. The SFAO thus recommended that the Finance Committees of both chambers approve them. Internal control: significant efforts that should be continued There has been an improvement in the Confederation’s financial state­ ments for 2014. In the previous year, various federal administrative units still did not have an ICS in compliance with the directives of the Federal Finance Administration (FFA). The SFAO therefore expressed a reservation regarding the state financial statements. The reservation was lifted this year due to considerable efforts made at the FFA, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) and the Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT). The SFAO recommends that these efforts continue, particularly in the management of access rights to the SAP accounting system. IN THE SPOTLIGHT SWISSAIR LOAN, A NICE SURPRISE OF CHF 220 MILLION 1 The report for audit mandate 15120 is available on the SFAO’s At the start of October 2001, Swissair’s fleet was grounded as the last act in the fiasco of the website. In response to a request from the press and in accordance cash­strapped national airline. A few hours after this grounding, the Confederation decided to with the Freedom of Information Act grant the company a loan.