Swiss Association of Municipalities
| Swiss Association of Municipalities | |
|---|---|
| founding | 1953
|
| place | Bern |
| president | Hannes Germann , Council of States |
| Directory | Christoph Niederberger |
| Members | 1600 parishes |
| Website | www.chgemeinden.ch |
The Swiss Association of Municipalities (SGV) (fr .: "Association des Communes Suisses" (ACS), it .: "Associazione dei Comuni Svizzeri" (ACS), rm .: "Associaziun da las Vischnancas Svizras") is an association that the Represent the interests of the municipalities and cities in Switzerland .
The organization represents the joint positions of the municipalities at the federal authorities and in public. With his political commitment he strengthens the community as the basis of the federal system. The SGV is committed to ensuring that the municipalities are organized, structurally and personally so that they can meet the demands of their residents and the tasks imposed on them by law - regardless of their size and number of inhabitants. In addition to performance and competitiveness and efficient organizational structures, the militia principle, closeness to the citizens, direct democracy and identification are important aspects for the functioning of the communities. Against the background of social and political changes, the SGV supports an innovation-oriented modernization of the organization and processes in the communities.
history
The association was founded in September 1953 in Bern as the “Association of Swiss Municipalities”. In 1962 the name was changed to "Swiss Association of Municipalities". 534 parishes were represented at the founding meeting. In 2001 the association had the highest membership level with 2021 members, since then the number of members has been falling due to mergers. The share of the municipalities represented in the Swiss Association of Municipalities has been around 70 percent for many years.
The association has been led by five presidents since it was founded: Moritz Kuchten, Brig VS (1953 to 1962), Erwin Freiburghaus, Landiswil BE (1962 to 1987), Toni Cantieni, Lenzerheide GR (1987 to 1995), Ulrich Isch, Nennikofen SO ( 1995 to 2008), Hannes Germann, Opfertshofen SH (since 2008).
In 1963 the association journal “Schweizer Gemeinde” was founded, in 1966 the pension fund of the Swiss Association of Municipalities, 1970 the Insurance Advisory Service of the Swiss Association of Municipalities, 1971 the issuing center of the Swiss municipalities (ESG), 1972 the collective insurance for the staff of municipalities and public corporations and the ROD Trust company. Over the years, with the exception of the “Swiss community”, all services were outsourced, and in 2003 ESG ceased its issuing activities. Political activity intensified in the 1990s. A first step was the establishment of the parliamentary group “Local Politics”, which is now overseen together with the Swiss Association of Cities. With the anchoring of the “Community Article” (Art. 50) in the Federal Constitution, for which the two municipal associations were heavily involved, the position of the municipalities in the federal state and thus the role of the Swiss Association of Municipalities was upgraded. Article 50, which has been anchored in the constitution since 1999, obliges the federal government to take the interests of the municipalities into account when legislating.
organization
Board
The association is led by a 16-person board. The board members are members of local executive authorities, board members of political communal associations and members of the federal councils with experience in local politics. The association has been presided over by the Council of States Hannes Germann since 2008. Vice-President is Helene Spiess, Mayor of Buochs NW, Vice-President is Gustave Muheim, Syndic of Belmont-sur-Lausanne VD and President of Lausanne Région.
Members and Membership
1600 of a total of 2222 congregations are members (January 1, 2018). This corresponds to a share of 72 percent. All political municipalities in Switzerland, but also civic municipalities that perform the tasks of the political municipalities, can become members of the Swiss Association of Municipalities.
Office
The association is located in Bern. It is the contact point for questions and concerns about the communities. The office is responsible for political statements and representation, information and communication as well as for the organization of conferences and information events. The office is responsible for editing and publishing the association magazine “Schweizer Gemeinde” and other specialist publications.
Cantonal community organizations
With the exception of the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Glarus, all cantons have community organizations in the form of associations or community presidents' conferences. The Swiss Association of Municipalities maintains a regular exchange of information with the cantonal municipality organizations.
- AG: Association of Municipal Mayors of the Canton of Aargau (GAV)
- AI: Chief People's Conference of the Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden
- AR: Conference of municipal presidents of the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
- BE: Association of Bernese Municipalities (VBG)
- BL: Association of Basellandschaftlicher Gemeinde (VBLG)
- FR: Association des communes fribourgeoises (ACF) / Freiburger Gemeindeverband (FGV)
- GE: Association des communes Genevoises (ACG)
- GR: IG small communities in Graubünden
- JU: Association jurassienne des communes
- LU: Association of Lucerne Municipalities (VLG)
- NE: Association des communes neuchâteloises (ACN)
- NW: Conference of the municipal presidents of the Canton of Nidwalden
- OW: Conference of municipal presidents of the Canton of Obwalden
- SG: Association of St. Gallen Mayor Presidents (VSGP)
- SH: Association of Mayor Presidents of the Canton of Schaffhausen
- SO: Association of Solothurn Residential Communities (VSEG)
- SZ: Association of Schwyz municipalities and districts (vszgb)
- TG: Association of Thurgau Municipalities (VTG)
- TI: Associazione per i comuni ticinesi (ACT)
- UR: Urner municipal association
- VD: Union des Communes Vaudoises (UCV)
- VS: Fédération des Communes Valaisannes / Association of Valais municipalities (FCV-VWG)
- ZH: Association of Presidents of the Canton of Zurich (GPVZH)
- ZG: Conference of the municipal presidents of the Canton of Zug
Partners and services
Together with partners, the Swiss Association of Municipalities provides various services for the municipalities.
Organization of examinations for higher vocational training
The Swiss Examination Organization for Higher Vocational Training in Public Administration (HBB öV Association) is the nationwide sponsor of the federal professional examination “Specialist in public administration”. The HBB öV association was founded in 2012 on the initiative of the Swiss Association of Municipalities with the aim of strengthening the public administration - the Confederation, cantons and municipalities - with the implementation of federally recognized professional and higher technical examinations in the field of higher professional education. The HBB öV association is responsible for setting up, organizing and carrying out the federal professional examination “specialist in public administration” in three official languages. He does not offer courses, but a federal examination.
Pension Foundation
In 1966, Comunitas - at that time as the “Pension Fund of the Swiss Community Association” - was founded on the initiative of the Swiss Community Association. In 1988 it was converted into an independent pension foundation, since 2004 the foundation has been called the “ Comunitas Pension Foundation ”. Comunitas is the pension fund for municipalities and institutions with public tasks. It offers around 12,000 insured persons pension benefits.
Municipal infrastructure
The Organization Communal Infrastructure (OKI) is a specialist organization of the Swiss Association of Cities and the Association of Swiss Municipalities. The OKI is politically and professionally committed to the sustainable management of communal infrastructures. The members of Organization Communal Infrastructure are over 250 cities, municipalities, special-purpose associations, cantons and patrons of the private sector.
Industry solution for occupational safety
The Swiss Association of Municipalities founded the Swiss Association for Occupational Safety and Health Protection in 1999 with the Swiss Association of Cities and other sponsors. The Swiss Occupational Safety Association operates a comprehensive industry solution for the public sector and offers courses for community safety officers.
Financial services
As a partner of the Swiss Association of Municipalities, PostFinance AG offers municipalities and public corporations various financial services. The offer includes payment transactions (business account, e-finance, debtor / creditor solutions, international payment transactions, file transfer), e-government (introduction of e-billing and e-payment), advice, investment and working capital management, and support with harmonization in payment transactions.
Job placement
The Swiss Association of Municipalities has been involved in job placement for the public sector since the beginning of 2015. Together with an external partner, he operates a sector-specific job portal for municipalities, cities, cantons and other public bodies.
activity
Political advocacy
The association advocates the concerns of the municipalities in the legislative process at national level. It represents the interests of the municipalities in federal working groups as well as in the context of consultations and hearings. In many cases, SGV works with the Swiss Association of Cities, the Swiss Working Group for Mountain Regions and the Conference of the Cantonal Governments and their specialist conferences. The Tripartite Conference (TK) is an important platform.
The association is opposed to the fact that the federal government and cantons are withdrawing competences from the municipalities and assigning them tasks without giving them a say. The association is committed to legal regulations that can be implemented in the militia system. The militia system and volunteer work are central elements of the Swiss municipalities, which contribute significantly to the well-being of the population.
information and communication
The association provides information in the “Swiss Community”, in a newsletter and on its website about current political events at federal, cantonal and municipal level and about its statements. The Swiss Association of Municipalities is the publisher of the association's monthly magazine “Schweizer Gemeinde”. The information organ, which has been published since 1964, reaches all authorities in political communities, cities, civil parishes and the federal government.
Meetings
The association organizes, together with partners, conferences at which information on various municipal issues is conveyed and experiences are exchanged using practical examples.
Suisse Public
The association is the initiator of the Swiss trade fair for public companies and administrations, Suisse Public, which has been held in Bern since 1972. Until 2003, the exhibition was called "Community". At the four-day fair, which takes place every two years, experts and procurement managers from municipalities, cantons and the federal government meet the leading manufacturers in the industry. The exhibition covers all communal areas from fire-fighting and communal vehicles to water extraction, renewable energies, signaling and computer science. The trade fair organized by Bernexpo AG recorded over 600 exhibitors and around 20,000 visitors in 2013 and 2015.