1. Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO The Creation of a Unique Business Identification Number in Switzerland OECD – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz

2. 2 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO List of contents Goals of Enterprise Identification Number (UID) The Situation in Switzerland The UID Register Advantages and Challenges Schedule

3. 3 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Current Situation in Switzerland Almost every administrative register today has its own identification number Duplications Inefficient processes High costs Limited exchange of information among administrative agencies Slow processes

4. 4 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Goals of enterprise identification number (UID) Reducing time and money expenses for enterprises Developing e-government Lower costs for the public authorities Making administrative registers more up-to-date Better cooperation among administrations National coordination instead of cantonal solutions Reduction of different identification numbers

5. 5 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Administrative Registers No national business register Each administrative register only covers part of the businesses Different definitions of a business enterprise Registers tend to be managed at a regional level

6. 6 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO The Business and Enterprise Register (BER) Statistical Register Nearly complete Up to date Many data sources Established processes

7. 7 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO The UID Register Administrative register The BER as a reference register Physically separate from the BER Limited number of variables Some variables are publicly accessible Other variables are only accessible to the public authorities

8. 8 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Advantages for Business and Enterprise Register Additional sources of information: More up-to-date data Comprehensiveness Simpler data collection through single identifier  Better economic statistics

9. 9 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Challenges Lack of legal foundations Defining an business enterprise High time pressure Public access to the UID register (Data protection) Verification of data Data quality and guarantee of quality

10. 10 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Schedule Putting into effect of UID law: 1 January 2011 UID in the administrative registers2011 – 2013 (1 st part) 2011 – 2016 (2 nd part) Replacement of existing indicators2011 – 2016

11. 11 The creation of a unique enterprise number in Switzerland | Wiesbaden Group on Business Registers – 25 November 2008 Pascal Utz Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Federal Statistical Office FSO Thank you for your attention