Task

1 Responsibilities:

The Federal Finance Administration (FFA) is responsible for the budget estimate, the financial plan, and accounting; it evaluates the projects of all departments involving expenditures, develops financial policy concepts (such as the financial model, the reorganisation of fiscal equalisation, the division of responsibilities between the Federal Government and the cantons, and the debt brake), is responsible for the statistics on the public budgets of Switzerland, and administers federal fiscal equalisation. It ensures the permanent liquidity of the Federal Government and is responsible for raising funds and investing on the money and capital markets.

The Federal Finance Administration (FFA) deals with national financial and economic issues. It fosters relations with the Swiss National Bank and draws up academic principles for economic policy consultation and financial policy consultation. Furthermore, it is responsible for legislation in the areas of the Financial Budget Act, the Currency Act and the National Bank Act. To fulfil its responsibilities, the FFA employs about 240 staff members. The staff is made up of a broad range of specialists who work together on an interdisciplinary basis. The staff members mainly come from an economic, legal, or commercial background, along with other specialised staff. The FFA supervises Swissmint (about 20 employees) and the Central Compensation Office for Old Age and Survivors' insurance (CCO) in Geneva (about 850 employees).

2 Objectives:

The FFA pursues the following objectives (Art. 8 of the Organisation Ordinance for the Federal Department of Finance):

• It provides an overview of the federal government’s finances.
• It draws up the accounts and, taking account of the requirements of the economic policies, the budget and the financial plan for the attention of the Federal Council.
  
• It supports effective credit and expenditure management, and shrewd and economic use of resources. It exerts a corresponding influence on budgeting and financial planning, as well as on preparation of Federal Council affairs from the departments and the Federal Chancellery which have financial consequences.
• It works towards results-based public management and systematic controlling not just in the Federal Administration as a whole but also in relation to external bodies assuming administrative tasks.
  
•  With its up-to-date treasury and liquidity management, it ensures the permanent solvency of the Confederation and guarantees that it has a privileged position in the money and capital markets.  

External links

Government and Administration Organisation Act

Government and Administration Organisation Ordinance

Financial Budget Act

Financial Budget Ordinance

Organisation Ordinance for the Federal Department of Finance

Last modification 13.10.2020