Federal StatisticsFederal Statistics Committee

The Federal Statistics Committee was created by the Swiss Federal Council. Its aim is to advise the Federal Council, the Federal Statistical Office and the other statistical producers of the Confederation on all matters relating to federal statistics. It is responsible for the 21 "topics of official statistics".

The Committee includes representatives from the cantons and communes, from scientific circles, private business, social partners and other administrative bodies of the Confederation as well as the Swiss National Bank. It is composed of 11 to 14 members and usually meets three times a year.

Committee members are nominated by the Federal Council after being proposed by the Federal Department of Home Affairs, for a period of four years, which corresponds to a federal legislative period. The Committee's President is a representative from scientific circles. The President and Members can be re-elected.

Committee tasks:

• monitor and assess the federal statistics multi-annual statistical programme 
• adopt of recommendations and guidelines applying to federal statistics matters
• discuss statistical matters of a general nature
• assess dissemination policy
• discuss other matters dealing with the improvement of official statistics in Switzerland
• promote cooperation among official statistics producers
• assess projects dealing with the introduction, elimination or major modification of important statistics and major transverse activities
• produce an annual report on the situation and development of federal statistics (multi-year programme) for the Federal Council

Overall, the Federal Statistics Committee's role is to ensure that official statistics meet the demands of a democratic society.