The legal definition of those federal enterprises and institutions that the Federal Council manages in accordance with the ownership policy principles of the Corporate Governance Report (CG guidelines PDF) can be found in Article 8 paragraph 5 of the Government and Administration Organisation Act. This includes all those entities which (1) have legal personality, (2) are not part of the central Federal Administration, (3) are controlled by the Confederation by virtue of its capital and voting rights or were created under federal legislation and (4) are delegated to perform federal administrative duties; in addition, there is the ETH Domain, which has no legal personality of its own. In concrete terms, this portfolio currently comprises 22 entities, including market service providers such as Swisscom and RUAG, monopoly service providers such as the ETH Domain and Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV, and institutions responsible for economic and safety supervision such as FINMA and ENSI. The following list provides a complete overview, together with links to the main legal frameworks of the individual entities.
Overview
Swiss Post (DETEC)
Special-law federal company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (100%)
This Act and the associated Ordinance govern the organisation of Swiss Post. |
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Swisscom (DETEC)
Special-law company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (51%)
This Act governs the setting-up and organisation of federal telecommunications services |
Swiss Federal Railways SBB (DETEC)
Special-law company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (100%)
The organisational legal framework of the SBB is formed by the Federal Act on the Swiss Federal Railways. |
Skyguide (DETEC)
Company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (99.95%)
The legal framework for Skyguide is set out in the Civil Aviation Act. |
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Fees are levied in accordance with the Ordinance on the Air Navigation Service. |
RUAG MRO Holding AG (RUAG MRO) (VBS)
Company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (100%)
The legal framework of RUAG is set out in the Federal Act on Federal Armaments Companies. |
RUAG Internatonal Holding AG (RUAG International) (EFD)
Company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (100%)
The legal basis of RUAG International can be found in the Federal Act on Federal Armaments Companies. RUAG International and the companies directly or indirectly controlled by it comprise the Confederation's holdings which have emerged from the armaments companies and which do not provide the equipping of the armed forces. The purpose is to develop them further so that they can be profitably divested or privatised. |
ETH Domain (EAER)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The ETH Act contains the organisational legal framework for the ETH Domain, which consists of the two federal institutes of technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) and Lausanne (EPFL), and four research institutions: the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag). |
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The Ordinance contains the rules on funding and accounting for the ETH Domain. |
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The ETH Personnel Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for ETH staff. |
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The ETH Professorial Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for ETH teaching staff. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for ETH scientific staff. |
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This Ordinance contains the principles governing the fees of the ETH Domain |
Swiss Export Risk Insurance SERV (EAER)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The organisational legal framework of the SERV is formed by the Export Risk Insurance Act (SERIA) and the associated Ordinance. |
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The personnel regulations govern the employment conditions for SERV staff. |
Swiss National Museum SNM (FDHA)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The organisational legal framework is set out in the Museums and Collections Act. |
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The personnel regulations govern the employment conditions for SNM staff |
Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic (FDHA)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The organisational legal framework of Swissmedic is set out in the Therapeutic Products Act. |
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The Personnel Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for Swissmedic staff. |
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This Ordinance specifies the fees that Swissmedic charges for authorisations, licences, controls and services. |
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This Ordinance governs the supervisory levies charged by Swissmedic. |
Federal Council’s strategic objectives 2023-2026 for Swissmedic. As a federal institution in the area of economic and safety supervision, Swissmedic has increased autonomy; its strategic objectives are defined by its Agency Council and approved by the Federal Council.
Pro Helvetia (FDHA)
Public-law foundation; owner: Confederation
The organisational legal framework of the Pro Helvetia foundation is set out in the Culture Promotion Act. |
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The Subsidies Ordinance regulates the awarding of grants by Pro Helvetia. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for Pro Helvetia staff. |
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property IPI (FDJP)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Federal Act on the Statutes and Tasks of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property and the Organisation Ordinance form the organisational legal framework of the IPI. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions. |
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The Fees Ordinance applies to fees charged by the Institute for its sovereign activities. |
Federal Council’s strategic objectives 2022 – 2026 for the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property IPI
Federal Audit Oversight Authority (FDJP)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Auditor Oversight Act (AOA) forms the organisational legal framework for the Federal Audit Oversight Authority. |
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Fees are levied in accordance with Article 37 et seq. of the Auditor Oversight Ordinance and the General Fees Ordinance. |
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The Ordinance sets auditing standards for the provision of auditing services and procedures for auditing state-supervised audit firms. |
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The Ordinance regulates electronic access by other Swiss supervisory authorities to non-publicly available data in accordance with Article 22 of the AOA. |
2024-2027 strategic objectives for the FAOA. As a federal institution in the area of economic and safety supervision, the FAOA has increased autonomy; its strategic objectives are defined by its Board of Directors and approved by the Federal Council.
Federal Institute of Metrology METAS (FDJP)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Federal Act on the Federal Institute of Metrology and the associated Ordinance form the organisational legal framework for METAS |
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This Ordinance regulates the fees for METAS decisions and services. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for METAS staff, with the exception of apprenticeships. |
Swiss Institute of Comparative Law SICL (FDJP)
Public-law federal institution (without own accounts); owner: Confederation
The Federal Act on the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law forms the organisational legal framework for SICL |
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Ordinance on Fees and Compensation of the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law |
This Ordinance regulates the fees for SICL decisions and services, and specifies the compensation and fringe benefits for members of the SICL Council. |
Swiss Federal Market Supervisory Authority FINMA (FDF)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Financial Market Supervision Act forms the organisational legal framework for FINMA |
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This Ordinance governs FINMA's tasks at the international level and in terms of regulation, regulatory principles, and cooperation and information exchange with the FDF. |
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The FINMA Personnel Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for FINMA staff |
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The FINMA Fees and Levies Ordinance governs the collection of fees and supervisory levies by FINMA. |
FINMA's 2025-2028 strategic goals. As a federal institution in the area of economic and safety supervision, FINMA has increased autonomy; its strategic goals are defined by its Board of Directors and approved by the Federal Council.
Swiss Investment Fund for Emerging Markets SIFEM (EAER)
Federal company limited by shares; owner: Confederation (100%)
Federal Act on International Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid |
The organisational legal framework for SIFEM is set out in the Federal Act on International Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid and in the associated Ordinances |
Ordinance on International Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid |
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Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training SFUVET (EAER)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The SFUVET Act and SFUVET Ordinance contain the organisational legal framework for the SFUVET. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for SFUVET staff. |
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This Ordinance defines the fees charged by the SFUVET for its training courses and services. |
Identitas (EAER)
Company limited by shares; Confederation is the majority shareholder (51%), 17 other organisations
Article 7a of the EzDA and the Ordinance on the Trade in Livestock Database form the organisational legal framework for the Swiss Animal Tracing Database.
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| Ordinance on Identitas AG and the animal traffic database |
Innosuisse (EAER)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Act sets out the organisational legal framework for Innosuisse. |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for the management team and Innosuisse secretariat staff. |
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This Ordinance governs Innosuisse's support measures |
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This Ordinance governs fees and remuneration for members of the Innovation Council and Innosuisse experts, as well as other contractual conditions |
Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI (DETEC)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Act forms the organisational legal framework for ENSI |
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The ENSI Personnel Regulations govern the employment conditions for ENSI staff |
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The ENSI Fees Ordinance governs the fees for ENSI's decisions, services, supervisory activities and the supervisory levy |
2024-2027 service mandate (strategic objectives) for ENSI. As a federal institution in the area of economic and safety supervision, ENSI has increased autonomy; its strategic objectives are defined by the ENSI Board.
TVS capacity allocation body (DETEC)
Public-law federal institution; owner: Confederation
The Railways Act and the TVS Ordinance set out the organisational legal framework for the TVS. |
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Ordinance of 13 May 2020 on the TVS Capacity Allocation Body |
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This Ordinance regulates the employment conditions for TVS staff. |
Last modification 28.02.2025