Federal statisticsSwiss system of official statistics
The system of official statistics in Switzerland has developed gradually in a decentralised organisation in line with the country's federal structure. About forty federal agencies and independent institutions (such as the Swiss National Bank) collect and analyse important statistical data upon which the public authorities base their planning. Most cantons and some large cities also have their own regional statistical offices.
Given the decentralised structure of the Swiss statistical system, effective coordination is particularly important. The FSO is mandated to coordinate the system, and to ensure that is successful it can rely on a variety of organisations and instruments. It heads the committees in charge of the smooth running of these networks.
Each of the different political levels (federal, cantonal, communal) of the federal state is represented and works together with the others.
FEDESTAT is the umbrella organisation for the statistical producers of the Confederation. It encompasses forty members which are the federal offices and other statistical organisations and services subject to the Federal Statistics Act.
REGIOSTAT ensures the coordination of work between the Confederation and regions (cantons and communes). It has about thirty members which are the cantonal statistical offices, the statistical services of the cantons which do not have their own office and the statistical services of the towns.
The instruments of federal statistics
The federal statistics multi-year programme
In compliance with the Federal Statistics Act, the multi-year programme is established for each legislative period. It is an important planning instrument that establishes strategic and operational objectives for the following four years. The exhaustive and transparent presentation of the federal statistics system in the multi-year programme enables information to be found easily. It enables the decisions that the various statistical bodies have to take to be placed in the general context of the statistical information system, of its financial framework and the objectives and priorities that have been established for the coming years.
Cooperation contracts
A new form of cooperation is being used: cooperation contracts. Such contracts regulate the cooperation between the FSO and various producers of statistics such as the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, the Swiss Farmers’ Union, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, and the offices of the Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (Framework contract « Rahmenvereinbarung zwischen den Bundesämtern BFS, ARE, ASTRA, BAFU, BAV, BAZL und BFE über die bundesinterne Zusammenarbeit und Arbeitsteilung im Bereich Mobilitäts- und Verkehrsstatistik » for example).
International classifications and international guidelines
The statistical standards developed at international level (UN, OECD, EU), also contribute to standardised federal statistics. It is also the case when transversal systems of indicators are elaborated in partnership with various experts and groups of experts.