Federal Administration of Switzerland

“ The main function of the bank enjoying the monopoly of issuing banknotes shall be to regulate the circulation of money in the country, to facilitate payment operations and to conduct within the scope of federal legislation a credit and monetary policy beneficial to the general interest of Switzerland. ”

“ Article 110 [Federal Court Civil Jurisdiction] (1) The Federal Court shall adjudicate civil law disputes: 1) between the Confederation and the Cantons; 2) between the Confederation and corporations or private persons if the subject of the dispute is of a degree of importance to be determined by federal legislation and if those corporations or private persons are plaintiffs; 3) between the Cantons; 4) between Cantons and corporations or private persons if the subject of the dispute is of a degree of importance to be determined by the federal legislation and if one of the parties so requests. ”

“ The Cantons are sovereign insofar as their sovereignty is not limited by the Federal Constitution and, as such, exercise all rights which are not entrusted to the federal power.
Article 4 [Equality] (1) All Swiss citizens are equal before the law. In Switzerland there shall be no subjects, nor privileges of place, birth, person or family. (2) Men and women have equal rights. The law shall provide for their equal treatment, especially as regards family, education and work. Men and women are entitled to equal pay for equal work. ”

“ The Cantons can be obliged to grant tax exemptions to institutions engaged in federal insurance or professional insurance, as well as tax relief to those insured, and to their employers with regard to contributions and rights to benefits. (6) The Confederation, in collaboration with the Cantons, shall encourage individuals to provide for their future, notably through fiscal measures and policies which establish rights of ownership. (7) The Confederation shall encourage the rehabilitation of disabled persons and support efforts made to assist elderly persons, survivors and the disabled. ”

“ In order to encourage the conclusion of common agreements and to prevent abuses in the field of rents and housing, the Confederation shall be empowered to decree provisions having generally binding effect with regard to certain obligations in basic contracts and other measures commonly agreed between lessors and lessees, or organizations representing similar interests. ”

“ The Cantons shall receive 10 per cent of the Confederation's net revenue from taxes on spirits, which they must spend on combating the causes and effects of alcoholism and the abuse of addictive and narcotic drugs and of medicaments. The funds shall be distributed among the Cantons in proportion to their resident populations. The Confederation must spend its share on old age, survivors' and disability insurance. ”

“ When drawing up their estimates the Confederation, the Cantons and the Communes shall take into consideration the requirements of the economic situation. The Confederation can temporarily levy surcharges or grant rebates on federal taxes to stabilize the economy. The money withdrawn from circulation is to be frozen for as long as the economic situation requires. Direct taxes shall then be refunded individually, indirect onesshall be used for the granting of rebates or for work creation. ”

“ To prevent abuses in price fixing the Confederation shall issue regulations for monitoring the prices and price recommendations for goods and services of enterprises and organizations governed by public and private law, especially of cartels and cartel-like bodies, with a dominant position in the market. ”

“ Legislation concerning radio and television and other forms of public diffusion of features and information by telecommunication techniques is a matter for the Confederation. (2) Radio and television shall contribute to the cultural development and entertainment of the listeners and viewers and to the free formation of opinion. They shall take into account the peculiarities of the country and the needs of the Cantons. ”

“ Every Swiss is under the obligation to perform military service. (2) Members of the armed forces who in the course of their federal military service lose their life or suffer permanent injury to their health shall be entitled to relief from the Confederation for themselves or for their families, should they be in need. ”

“ Insurance can be made obligatory for certain categories of self-employed persons generally or for covering specific risks. (4) The Confederation shall take steps to ensure that the professional insurance as well as the federal insurance schemes are able, in the long term, to develop in accordance with their aims. ”

“ The solvent debtor having a domicile in Switzerland must be sued, for personal debts, before the judge of his domicile; therefore, his property may not be seized or attached for personal claims outside the Canton in which he has his domicile. (2) In the case of aliens, the pertinent provisions of international treaties remain reserved. (3) Imprisonment for debts is abolished.
Article 60 [Intercantonal Equality] All Cantons are bound to afford all Swiss citizens the same treatment as their own citizens in the fields of legislation and of judicial proceedings. ”

“ The Cantons may legislate to make the running of establishments serving food or drink depend on professional and personal qualifications and also to subordinate the number of establishments to the existence of a need whenever the very existence of this trade is threatened by excessive competition. ”

“ Persons carrying on a learned profession, who prior to the enactment of the federal legislation provided for in Article 33 have obtained a certificate of competence from a Canton or from an authority representing several Cantons pursuant to a concordat, shall be entitled to carry on their profession throughout the Confederation. ”

“ Whoever is in possession of such a pension, title or decoration may not be elected or appointed member of a federal authority, civil or military official of the Confederation, federal representative or commissioner or member of a cantonal government or legislative assembly unless before assuming the mandate or office he expressly renounces the benefit of the pension or title or has returned the decoration. (3) In the Swiss Army, no decorations may be worn and no titles conferred by foreign governments may be assumed. ”

“ The Confederation shall levy on domestic and foreign motor vehicles and trailers up to a total weight of 3.5 tons each an annual charge of 30 francs for the use of the first- and second- class national highways. (2) The Federal Council shall regulate the implementation by ordinance. It can exempt specific vehicles from the charge and issue special regulations, particularly for journeys in the frontier area. Such regulations shall not result in vehicles registered abroad being treated more favorably than Swiss vehicles. The Federal Council can provide for fines for contraventions. ”

“ With effect from 1st October 1982 the following provisions shall apply to the turnover tax: a) the tax rate shall amount to 6.2 per cent of returns in the case of retail deliveries and 9.3 per cent in the case of wholesale deliveries; b) painters and sculptors shall be exempt from taxation in respect of the works of art which they themselves have created. (3) For the tax years after 31st December 1982 direct Federal Tax shall be regulated as follows: a) allowances deducted from the income of individuals shall amount to: - 4000 francs for married persons; - 2000 francs for each child ”

“ If such a request consists of a general proposal and if it meets with the approval of the Federal Chambers, the latter shall prepare a partial revision along the lines of the proposal and submit their draft to the people and the Cantons for adoption or rejection. If the Federal Chambers do not approve of the request, the question of partial revision shall be submitted to the decision of the people; if the majority of the Swiss citizens casting a vote decide in the affirmative, the Federal Assembly shall undertake the revision in conformity with the decision of the people. ”

“ If 50,000 Swiss citizens entitled to vote or eight Cantons request a popular vote, the decrees put immediately into effect shall lose their validity one year after their adoption by the Federal Assembly if they have not been approved by the people during that period ”

“ With the exception of tax-free quantities for home consumption and specialties, the distilled spirits produced in the country are to be delivered to the Confederation, which shall take them over against a fair price. ”

“ Disputes of public or private law which may arise out of the creation of new religious communities or out of the splitting up of existing communities may be brought before the competent federal authorities by lodging a complaint. ”