Swiss Legislation

All federal statutes and ordinances are published chronologically in the Official Record of Federal Law (in German, French and Italian) and by subject matter in the Systematic Record of Federal Law (in German, French, Italian and Rumantsch). The Confederation is progressively publishing online a compilation of unofficial English translations of its most important laws (see below). The Federal Council publishes in the Federal Journal its dispatches of new bills to the Federal Parliament, and the laws and decisions submitted to referendum (in German, French and Italian).

Each canton publishes its statutes in its own official cantonal collection (Geneva Systematic Collection of Law and Geneva Offical Gazette both in French only;Zurich Systematic Collection of Law and Zurich Offical Gazette, both in German only).

On this page, unless indicated otherwise, the links are to English language pages, from were more resources in German, French and Italian may be accessed.

Legal Sources Relevant to Asset Recovery

Civil Code (CC): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Code of Obligations (CO): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Code of Civil Procedure (CCP): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Private International Law Act (PILA): German, French, Italian

Guidelines on mutual assistance in civil matters: German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Debt Collection and Bankruptcy Act (DCB): German, French, Italian

Penal Code (PC): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Code of Penal Procedure (CPP): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Federal Act on International Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (IMAC): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Federal Act on the Sharing of Forfeited Assets: German, French, Italian

Laws, treaties, ordinances and guidelines on mutual assistance in penal matters on the Federal Office of Justice's page: German, French, Italian, unofficial English translations

Federal Law on the Prevention of Money Laundering in the Financial Sector (LML): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Financial Market Supervision Act (FINMASA): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Banking Act (BA): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Other unofficial English translations of laws pertaining to regulation of the financial market can be found on the legislation page of the Financial Markets Regulatory Authority (FINMA).

Embargo Act (EmbA): German, French, Italian, unofficial English translation

Swiss Authorities Relevant to Asset Recovery

Swiss Government

Federal Assembly

Federal Supreme Court (research of cases in German, French and Italian only)

Federal Criminal Court (research of cases in German, French and Italian only)

Federal Office of Justice

Office of the Attorney General

Federal Office of Police (fedpol)

Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS)

Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)

Cantonal Judicial Authorities

Zurich Judicial Power (in German only)

Geneva Judicial Power (in French only)

Academic Resources

Law Faculty of the University of Geneva (mostly in French) and its Centre for Banking and Financial Law

Law Faculty of the University of Zurich (mostly in German)

Corruption

Illicit assets of politically exposed persons (PEPs) page of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, with a link to the Restitution of Illicit Assets Act (RIAA) (unofficial English translation).

Swiss court decisions on the Abacha case and Duvalier case pages of this website.

Company Search

Research by company in the Federal Register of Commerce

Research by director's name on Money House (free registration necessary)