Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER, German: Eidgenössisches Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung; French: Département fédéral de l'économie, de la formation et de la recherche; Italian: Dipartimento federale dell'economia, della formazione e della ricerca) is one of the seven departments of the federal government of Switzerland, headed by a member of the Swiss Federal Council.

Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
(in German) Eidgenössisches Departement für Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung
(in French) Département fédéral de l'économie, de la formation et de la recherche
(in Italian) Dipartimento federale dell'economia, della formazione e della ricerca
(in Romansh) Departament federal d'economia, furmaziun e retschertga

The east wing of the Federal Palace of Switzerland.
Agency overview
Formed1848 (1848)
JurisdictionFederal administration of Switzerland
HeadquartersFederal Palace (east wing), Bern
Employees1,919[1]
Annual budgetExpenditure: CHF 6.1 billion
Revenue: CHF 271.8 million
(2009)[1]
Minister responsible
Websitewww.wbf.admin.ch

The department was renamed from Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) effective on 1 January 2013 based on decisions taken by the Federal Council in 2011.[2]

Organisation

The Department is composed of the following offices:[3]

  • General Secretariat, including the Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau FCAB (responsible for consumer affairs) and the Swiss civilian service agency (ZIVI).
  • State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO): Responsible for national and international economic policy, trade negotiations and labour policy.
  • State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
  • Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG): Responsible for agricultural policy and for direct payments to Swiss farmers.
  • Federal Veterinary office (FVO): Responsible for animal welfare and health, the safety of food of animal origin and the implementation of the CITES convention.
  • Integration Office (see FDFA above)
  • Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES): Manages emergency supplies of essential goods and services.
  • Federal Housing Office (FHO): Responsible for housing policy.

The following independent authorities are affiliated to the FDEA for administrative purposes:

  • Price Supervisor: Price ombudsman and responsible for the supervision of regulated prices.
  • Competition Commission: Swiss competition regulator.
  • Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET): Provides training for vocational education professionals.

Names of the department
  • 1848–1872: Department of Trade and Customs
  • 1873–1878: Department of Railway and Trade
  • 1879–1887: Department of Trade and Agriculture
  • 1888–1895: Department of Industry and Agriculture
  • 1896–1914: Department of Trade, Industry and Agriculture
  • 1915–1978: Department of Economic Affairs
  • 1979–2012: Federal Department of Economic Affairs
  • 2013–present: Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

List of heads of the department

Notes and references
  1. Swiss Federal Chancellery. "The Swiss Confederation – a brief guide 2009". Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  2. EAER instead of FDEA: Departmental reform implemented Archived 16 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine, press release Archived 10 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine 28 December 2012.
  3. "Organisation of the FDEA". Federal Department of Economic Affairs. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved May 2008. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

See also
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