The SFBC is an administrative authority of the Confederation which is independent of the individual directives of the Federal Council and is not a part of central government administration. Administratively, however, it is simply integrated within the Federal Department of Finance . The supervision of those parts of the financial sector over which it has authority is assumed by the SFBC on an independent basis.
Historically the authority responsible for supervising the banking sector, the SFBC has with time developed into a supervisory authority responsible for broad areas of the financial sector. At present, it assumes, on an independent basis, the following tasks:
- Supervision of banks and securities dealers
- Supervision of audit firms as far as they verify banks, securities dealers, fund management companies, investment companies with variable capital, investment companies with fixed capital, limited partnerships for collective investments, asset managers of collective investments, representatives of foreign collective investment schemes and investment funds
- Supervision of collective investment schemes
- Supervision of mortgage bond business
- Supervision of stock exchanges and markets
- Disclosure of shareholdings and public takeover bids for listed companies
- Supervision of banks, securities dealers, fund management companies, investment companies with variable capital, investment companies with fixed capital, limited partnerships for collective investments and asset managers of collective investments in matters of money laundering
- Decisions about bankruptcy and restructuring of banks and securities dealers
In addition to its core duties of supervision, the SFBC is also active in other areas that relate to Switzerland as a financial centre. It is, therefore, in constant contact with the Federal Department of Finance and the Swiss National Bank. In addition, it maintains regular contact with various associations, primarily the Swiss Bankers Association, the Swiss Funds Association and the Swiss Institute of Certified Accountants and Tax Consultants. |