The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), based in Bern, is an agency of the federal administration of Switzerland responsible for patents, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs and copyright.
The Foreign Illicit Assets Act (FIAA) (German: Bundesgesetz über die Sperrung und die Rückerstattung unrechtmässig erworbener Vermögenswerte ausländischer politisch exponierter Personen (SRVG), French: Loi sur les valeurs patrimoniales d’origine illicite, LVP, Italian: Legge sui valori patrimoniali di provenienza illecita, LVP), is a Swiss federal law that provides for the freezing, confiscation and restitution of assets of foreign politically exposed persons (e.g., heads of state, senior politicians, close associates) that have been acquired through corruption or other criminal means, and which have been deposited in Swiss banks.
The Systematic Compilation of Federal Legislation (SR) (German: Systematische Sammlung des Bundesrechts, SR; French: Recueil systématique du droit fédéral, RS; Italian: Raccolta sistematica, RS) is the official compilation of all Swiss federal laws, ordinances, international and intercantonal treaties that are in force.
The Asylum Act (AsylA) is a Swiss federal law that governs the country's procedures for granting asylum to refugees. It was adopted on 26 June 1998 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 October 1999. It replaces the previous and first Asylum Act from 1981.
The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (German: Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz, VwVG, French: Loi fédérale sur la procédure administrative, PA, Italian: Legge federale sulla procedura amministrativa, PA), is a Swiss federal law that that regulates the procedures followed by Swiss federal administrative authorities when making decisions that affect the rights of individuals. It was adopted on 20 December 1968 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 October 1969.
The Intelligence Service Act (IntelSA) (German: Nachrichtendienstgesetz, NDG, French: Loi fédérale sur le renseignement, LRens, Italian: Legge federale sulle attività informative, LAIn), is a Swiss federal law that defines the powers and scope of the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS), the country's intelligence agency. It was adopted on 25 September 2015 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 September 2017. It replaces the Federal Act on Civilian Intelligence from 2008.
The Archiving Act (ArchA) (German: Archivierungsgesetz, BGA, French: Loi fédérale sur l’archivage, LAr, Italian: Legge sull’archiviazione, LAr), is a Swiss federal law that governs the management, preservation, and accessibility of public Swiss federal archives. It was adopted on 26 June 1998 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 October 1999.
The Publications Act (PublA) (German: Publikationsgesetz, PublG, French: Loi sur les publications officielles, LPubl, Italian: Legge sulle pubblicazioni ufficiali, LPubb), is a Swiss federal law that governs the publication of the compilations of federal law (Official Compilation and Systematic Compilation) and of the Federal Gazette. It was adopted on 18 June 2004 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 January.
The Public Procurement Act (PPA) (German: Bundesgesetz über das öffentliche Beschaffungswesen, BöB, French: Loi fédérale sur les marchés publics, LMP, Italian: Legge federale sugli appalti pubblici, LAPub), is a Swiss federal law that governs the awarding of public contracts by Swiss federal authorities, representing a total market of 80-100 billion CHF per year. It transposes the WTO's Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) into Swiss law. It was adopted on 21 June 2019 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 January 2021. It is a complete revision of the previous law of 1994.
The Gender Equality Act (GEA) (German: Gleichstellungsgesetz, GlG, French: Loi sur l’égalité, LEg, Italian: Legge federale sulla parità dei sessi, LPar), is a Swiss federal law that aims to promote equal rights and opportunities for men and women. It prohibits in particular any form of discrimination between women and men in employment relationships. The law also establishes the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE) and defines its tasks. The law was adopted on 24 March 1995 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 July 1996.
The Government and Administration Organisation Act (GAOA) (German: Regierungs- und Verwaltungsorganisationsgesetz, RVOG, French: Loi sur l’organisation du gouvernement et de l’administration, LOGA, Italian: Legge sull’organizzazione del Governo e dell’Amministrazione, LOGA), is a Swiss federal law that clarifies the provisions of the Swiss constitution (Title 5) on the rights, duties, tasks, organization and procedure of the Federal Council and the Federal Administration.
The Political Rights Act (PRA) (German: Bundesgesetz über die politischen Rechte, BPR, French: Loi fédérale sur les droits politiques, LDP, Italian: Legge federale sui diritti politici, LDP), is a Swiss federal law that regulates the exercise of political rights (votations and elections) in Switzerland. The law was adopted on 17 December 1976 by the Federal Assembly and came into force on 1 July 1978.
The Host State Act (HSA) (German: Gaststaatgesetz, GSG, French: Loi sur l’État hôte, LEH, Italian: Legge sullo Stato ospite, LSO), is a Swiss federal law that governs the granting of privileges, immunities and financial support to foreign representations, as well as to international organizations and conferences that it hosts on its territory.
The Federal Act on the Reduction of CO2 Emissions (CO2 Act) (German: CO2-Gesetz, French: Loi sur le CO2, Italian: Legge sul CO2), is a Swiss federal law that regulates carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate climate change.
The Road Traffic Act, is a Swiss federal law that governs traffic on public roads in Switzerland.
The Federal Consumer Credit Act, is a Swiss federal law that aims to increase the protection of borrowers against overindebtedness. The law covers consumer credits and leasing contracts to natural persons without professional or commercial intention, credit and loyalty cards as well as bank overdrafts.
The Alcohol Act, is a Swiss federal law that regulates the manufacture, distribution, acquisition and consumption of alcoholic beverages. It was introduced in 1933 and is based on articles 105 and 131(1)(b) and (3) of the Swiss Constitution.
The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) (German: Eidgenössische Finanzkontrolle, EFK, French: Contrôle fédéral des finances, CDF, Italian: Ufficio federale del personale, UFPER) is the supreme financial supervisory body of the Swiss Confederation. In this capacity, it assists Federal Assembly and the Federal Council. Its independence is guaranteed by the Federal Auditing Act.
Switzerland's asylum residence permits are varied and grant very different rights. Any foreigner staying in Switzerland for more than three months must have a residence permit. On arrival in Switzerland, an asylum procedure can be opened by a simple request at an airport or border crossing. Since March 1, 2019, asylum procedures have been carried out in six areas of the country. A Federal Center for Asylum Seekers (CFA), responsible for procedural tasks, is located in each of them.
The federal popular initiative, is a Swiss civic right enabling 100,000 citizens with voting rights to propose a total or partial amendment to the Federal Constitution and submit it to a popular vote. The citizens behind the initiative, grouped together in an initiative committee, have 18 months in which to gather the approval of 100,000 citizens. To do this, the 100,000 citizens must affix their handwritten signatures to a signature list, including the text and title of the popular initiative. If 100,000 signatures are collected within 18 months, the initiative is put to the vote. If this is not the case, the initiative is declared "unsuccessful" and the procedure is terminated. The right of initiative also has its counterpart at cantonal and communal level; the procedure, including the number of signatures required and the deadline for collecting them, varies from one sovereign Swiss canton to another.
