Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications

The Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (Italian: Dipartimento federale dell'ambiente, dei trasporti, dell'energia e delle comunicazioni (ATEC); German: Eidgenössisches Departement für Umwelt, Verkehr, Energie und Kommunikation (UVEK); French: Département fédéral de l'Environnement, des Transports, de l'Energie et de la Communication (ETEC)) is one of the seven departments of the Swiss federal government, headed by a member of the Swiss Federal Council.

Organisation

The Department is composed of the following offices:^[2]

• General Secretariat
• Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE): Coordinates area planning between the federal agencies, the cantons and the municipalities.
• Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN): Responsible for matters of the environment, including the protection of plants and animals and the protection against noise, air pollution or natural hazards.
• Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA): Regulates civil aviation.
• Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM): Regulates radio and TV stations, notably the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
• Federal Office of Energy (FOE): Responsible for the provision of electrical energy at the federal level, as well as for the supervision of dams.
• Federal Office of Transport (FOT): Responsible for public transport at the federal level, including the development of the federal rail network and navigation on the Rhine.
• Federal Roads Authority (FEDRO): Responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of the national highway network.

The following independent authorities are affiliated to the DETEC for administrative purposes:

• Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB): Technical investigating authority for aircraft accidents.
• Federal Communications Commission (ComCom): Regulates the telecommunications market, awards service licences, rules on interconnection disputes and approves frequency and numbering plans.
• Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI): Responsible for inspecting low and heavy-current electrical installations.
• Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (HSK): Assesses and monitors security and radiation protection in Swiss nuclear installations.
• Federal Pipelines Inspectorate (ERI): Responsible for the planning, construction and operation of fuel pipeline systems in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
• Independent Complaints Authority for Radio and Television: Decides on complaints about radio and television programmes.
• Investigation Bureau for Railway, Funicular and Boat Accidents: Technical investigating authority for accidents on railways, cableways, funicular railways and ships.
• PostReg: Regulates the Swiss Post.
• Railways Arbitration Commission (RACO): Arbitrates in disputes over access to the rail network.

Name of department

• 1848-1859: Department of Posts and Construction
• 1860-1872: Department of Posts
• 1873-1878: Department of Posts and Telegraph
• 1879-1962: Department of Posts and Railways
• 1963-1978: Department of Transport, Communications and Energy
• 1979-1997: Federal Department of Transport, Communications and Energy
• Since 1998: Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications

by ethan and ben

List of heads of the department

References

External links

• http://www.uvek.admin.ch