Legislation

Federal acts, federal decrees and amendments to the Constitution.

Basis

Art. 163 Form of Federal Assembly enactments
1 The Federal Assembly shall enact provisions that establish binding legal rules in the form of federal acts or ordinances.
2 Other enactments are promulgated in the form of a federal decree; a federal decree that is not subject to a referendum is known as a “simple federal decree”.

Art. 164 Legislation
1 All significant provisions that establish binding legal rules must be enacted in the form of a federal act. These include in particular fundamental provisions on:
a. the exercise of political rights;
b. the restriction of constitutional rights;
c. the rights and obligations of persons;
d. those liable to pay tax as well as the subject matter and assessment of taxes and duties;
e. the duties and services of the Confederation;
f. the obligations of the Cantons in relation to the implementation and enforcement of federal law;
g. the organisation and procedure of the federal authorities.
2 Legislative powers may be delegated by federal act unless this is prohibited by the Federal Constitution.

Art. 165 Emergency legislation
1 Federal acts whose coming into force cannot be delayed (emergency federal acts) may be declared urgent by an absolute majority of the members of each of the two Councils and be brought into force immediately. Such acts must be of limited duration.
2 If a referendum is requested on an emergency federal act, the act must be repealed one year after being passed by the Federal Assembly if it has not in the meantime been approved by the People.
3 An emergency federal act that does not have the Constitution as its basis must be repealed one year after being passed by the Federal Assembly if it has not in the meantime been approved by the People and the Cantons. Any such act must be of limited duration.
4 An emergency federal act that is not approved in a popular vote may not be renewed.

Federal Constitution (SR 101), version of 03.03.2024, from Fedlex – English is not an official language of Switzerland; the translation is for information only ↗

How it works

DraftThe Federal Council submits a dispatch, or Parliament drafts a bill itself (parliamentary initiative).
CommitteesThe committees of both chambers examine the draft and make proposals.
Both chambersThe first and the second chamber debate it. As long as their decisions differ, the procedure for resolving differences follows, if need be a conciliation conference.
Final voteBoth chambers vote on the agreed text.
PeopleFederal acts are subject to an optional referendum, amendments to the Constitution to a mandatory one.

In Parliament

All 262 items of business for this task →

Who examines it

The subject committees of both chambers, by topic – for instance those for social security and health (SSHC) or for economic affairs and taxation (EATC).

How business is assigned

Rules propose the task; they read the kind of business, its title and the kinds of its bills. The editors can add or remove a task, with a reason. The members' own instruments – motions, postulates, interpellations, questions – belong to no task.

The business includes a federal act or a federal decree subject to referendum.
The title names an act, the Constitution, a revision or an amendment.
A parliamentary initiative: a draft act from Parliament itself.
A popular initiative: an amendment to the Constitution on which Parliament adopts a recommendation.

Not an official publication. Names, figures and the texts of the votes appear unchanged, exactly as the Parliamentary Services publish them.