Reduction of administrative burdens on businesses
Efficient and proportionate regulations are a key element in ensuring attractive economic framework conditions. The Business Relief Act establishes measures and instruments aimed at reducing the regulatory burden on companies and advancing the digitalisation of public administration services.
The Act on Reducing the Administrative Burden on Businesses (UEG) establishes measures to lower regulatory costs for businesses, both in connection with new regulations and with existing ones. The UEG sets out obligations for the drafting of legislation that enhance transparency regarding the impacts on businesses and thereby improve the basis for decision‑making. These provisions entered into force on 1 October 2024.
The UEG also contains provisions required for the expansion and ongoing operation of the central electronic platform EasyGov. These provisions entered into force on 1 April 2024 (with the exception of Article 11, which is expected to enter into force in mid‑2027).
Drafting of new legislation
If businesses are affected by a new piece of legislation or an amendment to existing legislation, potential relief measures for businesses must be examined (so‑called assessment obligations; Art. 4 UEG), and the resulting regulatory costs must be estimated (Art. 5 UEG). The results must be presented in explanatory reports and dispatches in accordance with the guidelines on drafting Federal Council dispatches. The examinations and the estimation of regulatory costs may be carried out as part of the RIA (see Regulatory Impact Assessment) or separately. For the estimation of regulatory costs, we recommend using the cost table, which guides you through the estimation process step by step.
Sectoral studies
The purpose of the sectoral studies is also to review existing regulations for their potential to reduce the burden on businesses (Art. 7 UEG). Each year, the Federal Council determines the three to five regulatory areas to be evaluated.
Monitoring
Monitoring is used to observe the development of the regulatory burden on businesses over time and to identify problematic areas (Art. 6 UEG). A wide range of indicators, such as SECO’s Bureaucracy Monitor or the NZZ SME Barometer, provide an overview of the current situation of businesses in Switzerland with regard to regulatory burdens. At the same time, international indices enable a classification in a global context. The monitoring additionally offers an overview and provides indications of the development and expansion of obligations for businesses across different regulatory areas. This creates a consolidated picture of the current regulatory burden faced by Swiss companies.
- RegMonitor - Regulatory Burden Monitoring (in German)
Further information
Index
Relevant topics
Regulation
SECO is committed to promoting business‑friendly framework conditions. As the federal competence centre for regulatory matters, we support and advise the responsible offices in analysing the economic impact of new legislative proposals and in implementing the Act on Reducing the Regulatory Burden on Businesses.
Reduction of administrative burdens on businesses
Efficient and proportionate regulations are a key element in ensuring attractive economic framework conditions. The Business Relief Act establishes measures and instruments aimed at reducing the regulatory burden on companies and advancing the digitalisation of public administration services.
Projects in Regulatory Policy
We are committed to the continuous improvement and simplification of existing regulations and conduct in‑depth analyses of various aspects of regulatory policy. Here you can find our most recent projects.
Contact
Economic Policy Directorate
Regulatory analysis and policy
Holzikofenweg 36
CH - 3003 Bern
For regulatory costs and duties to assess business simplifications: Sarah Hiltbrunner rfa@seco.admin.ch / Für Bereichsstudien: Roger Küttel bereichsstudien@seco.admin.ch