Exciting news and useful information for founders and entrepreneurs. Well-researched, informative and to the point.
With EasyGov.swiss and the SME Portal, the Swiss authorities provide very practical support for companies in their day-to-day business. The EasyGov.swiss platform lets companies carry out approval, application and reporting procedures electronically all in one place – making administrative procedures simple, quick and efficient. The SME Portal offers practical insights into everyday business life for small and medium-sized enterprises.
More than 30 years ago, the small THIM School of Physiotherapy was founded in Landquart (GR). It was the first Swiss school to offer a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy. Managing Director Thim van der Laan talks to us about the challenges of being both a company and a training institution, and about the added value offered by EasyGov when dealing with administrative tasks.
Federal Office of Information Technology, Systems and Telecommunication (FOITT) (for governmental authorities only, exclusively with class A certificates): Swiss Government PKI (admin.ch)
EasyGov makes administrative tasks simple, fast and efficient. Lucy, a self-employed physiotherapist, is aware of this too. By using the online desk for companies, she can save her time and money, which frees her up to spend more time doing what she does best – looking after her clients.
Thanks to a successful cooperation project with the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA), VAT returns can now be submitted by following the ‘VAT-declaration easy’ process on EasyGov.
Tax representatives now have the option of processing a declaration release by their clients via EasyGov.
Work permits for third-country nationals
Applications for a work permit for third-country nationals are now possible on the portal in the pilot canton of Thurgau.
With this update, the following notification and application processes can now be carried out on EasyGov:
Notification of gainful employment of temporarily admitted foreign nationals (F permit) or recognised refugees (B permit) in all 26 cantons.
Cross-border commuter permits for EU/EFTA nationals (G permit) in the pilot cantons of Thurgau and Zurich. The cantons of St Gallen and Aargau will follow in spring 2023.
Work permits for employment with Swiss employers for third-country nationals in the canton of Thurgau. (Short stay permit up to 4 months/120 days, L permit or B permit)
On 15 December, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) again expanded EasyGov.swiss, the online desk for companies. Thanks to a successful cooperation project with the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA), VAT returns can now be submitted by following the ‘VAT-declaration easy’ process on EasyGov. In addition, third-country nationals in the pilot canton of Thurgau can now apply for work permits on the EasyGov portal.
Stéphanie Vuadens, a professional beekeeper in the canton of Geneva, founded Les Miels de Stéphanie in 2016. She is passionate about her bees and working in harmony with nature to obtain quality honey. In 2019, Stéphanie strengthened her commitment to nature and biodiversity with the creation of the Fondation Arche des Abeilles, a non-profit foundation whose main missions are to save bees and raise awareness among young people.
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is again enhancing EasyGov.swiss, the online desk for companies. An extended range of services will be activated from 24 May. It will now be possible to process cross-border commuter permits for EU/EFTA nationals with the pilot cantons of Thurgau and Zurich. Furthermore, foundations under the supervision of the Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations (FSBF) will be able to submit transactions such as annual reports online via EasyGov.
Registration or permit requirement for foreign workers in Switzerland:
The processing of cross-border commuter permits for EU/EFTA nationals is provided on the portal with the pilot cantons of Thurgau and Zurich. Further pilot cantons are being planned.
New digital functions as part of the digitisation project of the Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations (FSBF): With the current update, foundations have the option of processing eESA services via the EasyGov platform and using it for all their specific transactions with the FSBF and other authorities, such as the Commercial Register or the OASI Compensation Fund. In particular, annual reporting can be completed electronically without media discontinuity.
Integration of SICHEM, the tool for the safe use of chemicals
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat per 9. Mai 2022 die «Studie zur Integrations-Sollarchitektur für Behördenleistungsportale» publiziert. Die vorliegende Studie wurde im Rahmen der E-Government-Strategie Schweiz durchgeführt und zeigt Lösungen auf, wie die Interoperabilität zwischen Behördenportalen umgesetzt werden kann. Ziel ist es in einem nächsten Schritt Standards zu definieren, die eine für das Zusammenwirken der Behördenleistungsportale nötige Daten- und Prozessinteroperabilität ermöglichen. Die schrittweise Umsetzung der Integrations-Sollarchitektur soll im Rahmen der Digitalen Verwaltung Schweiz (DVS) weiterverfolgt werden.
Bern, 29.03.2022 – According to a SECO study published on 29 March, the EasyGov.swiss online service desk is highly appreciated by users from the business community. Since its inception, EasyGov has generated benefits of around CHF 27 million for Swiss businesses, which translates into annual benefits of around CHF 8.3 million. On average, this results in potential savings, over the entire period of the study, of about CHF 1,300 for businesses making active use of the services available. The portal currently has already over 55,000 registered businesses.
Hard on the outside, soft on the inside. Since its foundation in 2008, DAHU has revolutionised the classic ski boot with a focus on quality and comfort. The company is now based in Puidoux in the canton of Vaud and produces its shoes by hand in Italy. We met Office Manager Romain Oguey for an interview. He tells us how he developed his passion and what challenges the young entrepreneur faces on a daily basis.
The Fizzen clothes shop is a Bern institution and has been ensuring that style-conscious Bern residents can get their money’s worth for almost 30 years. In 1992, the second-hand clothes were imported by car and sold out of a basement in the Rathausgasse. These days you can find Fizzen at prime locations in Zurich, Basel and Lucerne. We met the owner Adrian Masshardt for a chat.
According to Article 14 para. 2bis of the Swiss Code of Obligations, a qualified electronic signature is equivalent to a handwritten signature. What constitutes a qualified electronic signature is governed by the Federal Act on Electronic Signatures (ESigA). The Swiss Accreditation Service (SAS) publishes a list of the recognised certification services.
As of 17 August 2021, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has once again expanded EasyGov.swiss, its online service desk for companies. The employment reporting procedure for temporarily admitted persons and recognised refugees is now available online. The debt enforcement processes have also been expanded to include options to submit requests to continue debt enforcement proceedings and sale requests to the debt enforcement offices.
Reporting procedure for employed refugees and temporarily admitted persons:
Since 1 January 2019, temporarily admitted persons and recognised refugees have been able to take up employment after a report has been submitted to the labour market authorities.
The newly digitalised reporting procedure on EasyGov makes the reporting process even simpler for employers.
Debt enforcement: more functions:
The latest update now also offers options to submit requests to continue debt enforcement proceedings and sale requests, as well as send general submissions, to the offices.
Brothers Mario and Claudio Bergen have been running the Koffeinshop in Lucerne for around five years, and in 2016 they launched the first cold-brewed mate drink made in Switzerland on the market. Their recipe for success: natural ingredients, little sugar, a lot of caffeine and regional sustainability. We visited Claudio and Mario in their Koffeinshop.
Thierry Fuhrer is founder of DeinKoch.ch and has headed the company since 2017. The name speaks for itself. The chefs from DeinKoch.ch cook for customers in their homes. As personal chefs, they look after their customers’ well-being and create a unique experience. We met Thierry while he was busy cooking.
As of 26 April 2021, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has once again expanded EasyGov.swiss, its online service desk for companies. With release 1.7, users can now record and publish job vacancies on the portal. Another milestone is the integration of working hour authorisations, particularly for night and Sunday working and on-call shifts. Both processes can now be completed entirely digitally on EasyGov.
On 9 December 2020, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) extended access to its online service desk EasyGov.swiss to all organisations regardless of their legal form, including entities such as foundations, associations, and cooperatives. The way that data is exchanged with debt enforcement and bankruptcy offices through the portal has been optimised, while improvements have also been made to debt enforcement processes.
With EasyGov.swiss, the online desk for companies, small companies can now easily create their annual salary declarations online and send them to Suva.
The process for publishing official SOGC reports has now been integrated into EasyGov, meaning that certain official publications can be filed via EasyGov and transmitted to the SOGC.
“e-trademark”, the electronic trade mark application process, is offered as a partial integration via EasyGov.
In addition to trade mark applications, changes of address for existing trademarks can also be made in the register.
With effect from 1 September 2020, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has once again expanded EasyGov.swiss, its online service desk for companies. The 1.6 release now allows certain publications of the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce (SOGC) to be filed and published on the platform and electronic trade mark applications to be submitted to the Swiss Institute of Intellectual Property (IGE) via “e-trademark”.
The family-run company in Bern grew rapidly after its foundation in 2010. Having established the gelateria on Länggasse, its founders then continued to grow their business and add new branches in Bern and, in 2017, also in Zurich. Today, the Gelateria di Berna is something of an institution for many people. We met up with Hansmartin for a chat.
La Meute was established in 2016 by Vaclav Smerak, Victor Galliker and Jon Tschan in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. Since then, our brewers have been making and selling craft beers based on unique local expertise.
Their recipe for success: natural ingredients, a hint of sugar, lots of hops and regional sustainability. We met Jon and Tim at their premises in La-Chaux-de-Fonds to find out more about their passion for beer.
Silvio Brügger is a founder and member of the renowned Bern graphic design and illustration studio Blackyard. The other members of the collective are Philipp Thöni, Jared Muralt and Christian Calame. For over 10 years, they have been producing album covers for bands, posters for cultural organisations such as the Reitschule and campaigns for corporations such as Swisscom. Silvio instinctively chooses the right fonts for his texts and adds explanations where illustrations don’t speak for themselves. We met Silvio in the Blackyard atelier.
With release 1.5, the digital platform now assists small companies in particular with entering their salary data for their salary declarations to Suva.
The debt enforcement service desk’s features are now available to associations, foundations and cooperatives too, while an authorisation database provides an overview of all professions in Switzerland that are regulated or require authorisation.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is expanding EasyGov.swiss, its online service desk for companies, for the second time this year: with release 1.5, the digital platform now assists small companies in particular with entering their salary data for their salary declarations to Suva. The debt enforcement service desk’s features are now available to associations, foundations and cooperatives too, while an authorisation database provides an overview of all professions in Switzerland that are regulated or require authorisation.
Apply to instigate debt enforcement proceedings against an individual or legal entity.
Request an extract from the debt enforcement register. Individuals can also do this in the public part of EasyGov.swiss without the need to register or log in.
The Swiss government is making it easier for high-performing SMEs with scope for further development to take out bank loans. Contact with the competent loan guarantee organisation can now be initiated online via EasyGov.swiss.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has once again expanded EasyGov.swiss, its online service desk for companies: the digital platform also now provides support with preparing submissions to debt enforcement offices. In the future, companies and private individuals will be able to input information for requests for debt enforcement proceedings and extracts from the debt enforcement register. The portal now offers assistance with SME financing too.
Philipp Antoni is Co-Founder and Head of Operations at notime AG. notime’s online platform enables Internet retailers to automate their process planning, from the order right through to the delivery. The company also takes responsibility for the physical delivery, including the first mile, line haul and local distribution with cargo bikes in urban areas. It works with the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) as a partner and uses cargo bikes for local distribution.
Geneva start-up Expedismart is the right address for anyone wishing to send a parcel and pay as little as possible to do so. Whether domestic or international shipments, the four-member team headed by Léonard Schlaepfer has been comparing the prices of major courier and logistics companies for around four years so that parcels can be dispatched quickly, conveniently and at the best price. We met Léonard for a talk.
massgekocht. has been cooking for fitness-conscious Zurich residents since the start of 2017 and delivering meals to their homes and offices or even straight to the gym. Since the opening of their restaurant in the former club Indochine in Zurich’s Kreis 5 district at the latest, the name “massgekocht.” has literally been on everyone’s lips. We met one of the founders Arbela Statovci for a chat.
Having been self-employed from 2006 to 2009, Florian Despond then established his own company, Florian Despond Sàrl, to adapt the structure of his growing business.
Working in the tinplate making and roofing sector, the business has managed to keep its initial area of expertise, wood shingling, as part of its activities.
Bern, 20.11.2018 – SME Portal and EasyGov.swiss together generate annual benefits of around CHF 47 million for Swiss companies. According to a SECO study published on 20 November 2018, both of these platforms are highly appreciated by users in the economy. SME Portal alone has over 37,000 users per month.
Since March 2018, Bay restaurant in Bern has treated its guests to wonderful cuisine, beautiful interiors and views over the river Aare. Together with owner Maurice Bridel, the team at this modern brasserie reinterpret the classics of French cuisine with a strong focus on regional products. We met Maurice on Bern’s Hodlerstrasse.
Zuriga’s success story began two years ago. Environmental engineer Moritz Güttinger, 32, started building exclusive espresso machines in a dark cellar together with two friends. Nowadays, Zuriga comprises a team of seven. We met up with Moritz for a chat.
The Startzentrum Zürich cooperative is the centre of expertise for company founders and start-ups in the canton of Zurich. Established in 1999 as a non-profit organisation, it offers free advisory services for company founders and start-ups, organises events and workshops, and operates an online platform with the “Startbox” as its core element.
The EasyGov portal was launched in November 2017 to enable Swiss companies to carry out their administrative procedures online. Martin Godel from SECO explains how it works in a new podcast in English.
On 6 November 2017, Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann launched EasyGov.swiss – the online counter for companies – together with representatives from the cantons and the private sector. In this interview, Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann explains what EasyGov.swiss is, provides an insight into everything the administration’s new portal can do and states why EasyGov.swiss represents an important step forward for Switzerland.
Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann, together with representatives from cantons and the economy, launched EasyGov.swiss – the new online desk for companies, on 6 November 2017. The new platform, which was realised in the scope of eGovernment Strategy Switzerland, makes interacting with the authorities even more digitised and user-friendly. The electronic transactional platform facilitates the exchange of information between the economy and the authorities, and reduces companies’ administrative burden.
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