Federal Department of Finance FDF
Around 43,000 counterfeit products are discovered every year – with a trained eye Swiss Customs staff strive to put a stop to this illicit practice.
Federal finances, financial market stability, taxes – at the FDF, there is a lot of emphasis on the state budget and on financial policy.The department collects taxes and customs duties, and checks the cross-border movement of people and goods. It also provides services for the entire Federal Administration, from IT to human resources to buildings and logistics.
Karin Keller-Sutter
Head of the FDF
Member of the Federal Council since 2019.
A state that has room for manoeuvre is the best insurance against a crisis. This requires sound public finances.
Priorities of the FDF in 2024
In order for a state to protect its citizens, the economy and the environment, it needs to be able to act freely. It must have enough funds available to take action at short notice. And its finances must be on a sure enough footing for it to provide assistance in a crisis.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, this principle was also demonstrated during the crisis surrounding Credit Suisse. The Federal Council, working together with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority and the Swiss National Bank, managed to prevent a disorderly collapse of the bank. The institutional setup worked. This enabled the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, which meant that stability could rapidly be restored. It was thus possible to avert any significant damage to the economy, and also to individuals.
This was possible only because the federal government had sufficient funds at its disposal. So that Switzerland is also primed against future crises, lessons must be learned from recent events and adjustments made where necessary. One thing is already certain: although every crisis is different, when it comes to the crunch, stability can only be achieved with sound federal finances. Receipts and expenditure therefore need to balance each other out. So the focus is on budgetary discipline. As the saying goes: “Save your pennies for a rainy day.”
Expenses 2022 (CHF)
17.86 bn
Staff (FTEs) 2022
8,756
Organisation chart FDF
General Secretariat GS-FDF
Secretary General: Barbara Hübscher Schmuki
www.efd.admin.ch
State Secretariat for International Finance SIF
State Secretary: Daniela Stoffel
www.sif.admin.ch
Federal Finance Administration FFA
Director: Sabine D’Amelio-Favez
www.efv.admin.ch
Federal Office of Personnel FOPER
Director: Rahel von Kaenel
www.epa.admin.ch
Federal Tax Administration FTA
Director: Tamara Pfammatter
www.estv.admin.ch
Federal Office for Customs and Border Security FOCBS
Director a.i.: Isabella Emmenegger
www.bazg.admin.ch
Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunications FOiTT
Director: Dirk Lindemann
www.bit.admin.ch
Federal Office for Buildiings and Logistics FOBL
Director: Pierre Broye
www.bbl.admin.ch
Autonomous
organisations
Swiss Financial
Market Supervisory Authority FINMA
Director: Urban Angehrn
www.finma.ch
Swiss Federal Audit Office SFAO
Director: Pascal Stirnimann
www.efk.admin.ch
Federal Pension Fund PUBLICA
Director: Doris Bianchi
www.publica.ch
