Federal Act on Administrative Procedure (APA)

Introduction VwVG

The Administrative Procedure Act (Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz, VwVG) is a code of laws in Switzerland that defines the rules for administrative procedure. It regulates the procedure and principles in the performance of administrative tasks by the authorities. The VwVG contains provisions on the competence of the authorities, the procedure before the authorities, the rights and obligations of the parties involved, as well as the remedies against administrative decisions. It is intended to ensure that administrative procedures are transparent, fair and efficient. The VwVG is an important instrument for ensuring the legal protection of citizens in dealing with the administration.

The articles VwVG

Art. 1 Scope of Application and Definitions
Art. 2 II. Exceptions1. Partial application
Art. 3 2. Non-applicability
Art. 4 III. Additional provisions
Art. 5 B. DefinitionsI. Rulings
Art. 6 II. Parties
Art. 7 General Procedural Principles
Art. 8 II. Referral and exchange of views
Art. 9 III. Disputes
Art. 10 B. Recusal
Art. 11
Art. 11a II. Mandatory representation
Art. 11b III. Address for service
Art. 12 D. Establishing of the facts of the caseI. Principles
Art. 13 II. Cooperation by the parties
Art. 14 III. Examination of witnesses1. Jurisdiction
Art. 15 2. Duty to testify
Art. 16 3. Right to refuse to testify
Art. 17 4. Other obligations of witnesses
Art. 18 5. Rights of the parties
Art. 19 IV. Supplementary provisions
Art. 20 E. PeriodsI. Calculation
Art. 21
Art. 21a 2. Electronic mail service
Art. 22 III. Extension
Art. 22a IIIa Legal holidays
Art. 23 IV. Consequences of non-compliance
Art. 24 V. Reinstatement
Art. 25 F. Declaratory procedure
Art. 25a Fbis. Ruling on real acts
Art. 26 G. Inspection of filesI. Principles
Art. 27 II. Exceptions
Art. 28 III. Relevance of secret documents
Art. 29 H. Right to be heardI. Principle
Art. 30
Art. 30a 2. Special opposition procedure
Art. 31 III. Hearing for the respondent
Art. 32 IV. Examination of the arguments of the parties
Art. 33 V. Evidence
Art. 33a Hbis. Language of the proceedings
Art. 33b Hter. Amicable agreement and mediation
Art. 34 J. NotificationI. Requirement of writing1. Principle
Art. 35 2. Statement of grounds and instructions on legal remedies
Art. 36 II. Official publication
Art. 37 III. ...
Art. 38 IV. Defective notification
Art. 39 K. EnforcementI. Requirements
Art. 40 II. Enforcement measures1. Debt collection procedures
Art. 41 2. Other enforcement measures
Art. 42 3. Proportionality
Art. 43 III. Mutual assistance
Art. 44
Art. 45 B. Appeal against interim ordersI. Interim orders on jurisdiction and recusal
Art. 46 II. Other interim orders
Art. 46a Bbis. Denial of justice and unjustified delay
Art. 47 C. Appellate authorities
Art. 47a
Art. 48 D. Locus standi
Art. 49 E. Grounds of appeal
Art. 50 F. Period for filing an appeal
Art. 51 G. Appeal petitionI. ...
Art. 52 II. Content and form
Art. 53 III. Supplementary appeal petition
Art. 54 H. Other procedural rules prior to the appeal decisionI. Principle
Art. 55 II. Precautionary measures1. Suspensive effect
Art. 56 2. Other measures
Art. 57 III. Exchange of written submissions
Art. 58 IV. New ruling
Art. 59 V. Recusal
Art. 60 VI. Procedural penalties
Art. 61 J. Appeal decisionI. Content and form
Art. 62 II. Amendment of the contested ruling
Art. 63 III. Procedural costs
Art. 64 IV. Reimbursement of representation costs
Art. 65 V. Legal aid
Art. 66 K. ReviewI. Grounds
Art. 67 II. Application
Art. 68 III. Decision
Art. 69 L. Explanatory statement
Art. 70 M. Special forms of appealI. ...
Art. 71 II. Complaint to a supervisory authority
Art. 71 A. ...
Art. 72 I. As appellate authority1. Admissibility of the appeal a. Subject matter
Art. 73 b. Lower instances
Art. 74 c. Subsidiarity
Art. 75
Art. 76
Art. 77
Art. 78
Art. 79
Art. 80 Final and Transitional Provisions
Art. 81 B. Transitional provision
Art. 82 C. Commencement