Intelligence Service Act (IntelSA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force.
Section 1 Tasks, Protection and Security Measures,
Art. 6 Tasks of the FIS
1 The FIS shall gather and process information for the following purposes: a. the early recognition and prevention of threats to internal or external security from: 1. terrorism, 2. espionage, 3. the proliferation of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons, including their delivery systems, and all civilian and military goods and technologies required to manufacture such weapons (ABC proliferation) or the illegal trade in radioactive substances, war material and other armaments, 4. attacks on supply systems for energy and drinking water, information, communication and transport infrastructures and other processes, systems and facilities that are essential for the proper functioning of the economy and well-being of the population (critical infrastructures), 5. violent extremism; b. to identify, observe and assess events outside Switzerland that are of security-policy significance; c. to safeguard Switzerland’s capacity to act; d. to safeguard other important national interests in accord
Para. 1 let. a let. 4 — Amended by Annex 1 No 2 of the Information Security Act of 18 Dec. 2020, in force since 1 Jan. 2024 (AS 2022 232; 2023 650; BBl 2017 2953).
Art. 7 Protective and security measures
1 The FIS shall take measures to guarantee the protection, safety and security of its employees, facilities and the data that it processes. To this end it may: a. carry out on its premises bag and personal checks on: 1. FIS employees, 2. persons working temporarily for the FIS, 3. employees of companies that provide the FIS with services on its premises; b. carry out checks of rooms and spaces in FIS facilities to verify whether the regulations on protecting classified information are being complied with; c. monitor archive rooms, strong rooms and storerooms and the access zones to the FIS premises using video transmission and recording devices; d. operate telecommunications jammers in accordance with Article 34 paragraph 1ter of the Telecommunications Act of 30 April 1997 on premises that it uses. 2 The FIS shall operate a secure computer network for its information systems that must in particular be protected against access by unauthorised persons.
Para. 1 let. d — SR 784.10
Art. 8 Weapons
1 FIS employees may be issued with weapons for operations in Switzerland if they are exposed to special dangers in the course of their service duties. 2 Armed employees may only use their weapons for self-defence or in emergencies and only in a manner appropriate to the circumstances. 3 The Federal Council shall determine the categories of employee that may carry weapons and the training that they require.
Section 2 Cooperation
Art. 9 Cantonal executive authorities
1 Each canton shall designate an authority to work with the FIS in implementing this Act (the cantonal executive authority). It shall ensure that this authority is able to carry out FIS assignments immediately. 2 The FIS shall issue assignments to the cantonal executive authorities in writing; in cases of urgency it may issue assignments verbally and confirm them retrospectively in writing.
Art. 10 Informing the cantons
1 The Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) shall inform the inter-cantonal conferences of governments regularly and in the event of incidents about its assessment of the threat situation. 2 The FIS shall inform the cantonal executive authorities about events that affect the tasks that they carry out.
Art. 11 Cooperation with the Armed Forces
1 The FIS shall notify the responsible agencies in the Armed Forces Intelligence Service and the Military Security Service about events that affect the tasks that they carry out. 2 It may work with the responsible agencies of the Armed Forces in relation to international military contacts, request them for information and issue them with assignments related to international cooperation. 3 The Federal Council shall regulate: a. the cooperation and exchange of information between the FIS and the responsible agencies of the Armed Forces Intelligence Service; b. the division of tasks between the FIS and the Military Security Service during peace support or civil support operations or active service.
Art. 12 Cooperation with other countries
1 The FIS may work with foreign intelligence services and security services in terms of Article 70 paragraph 1 letter f in order to implement this Act, in that it: a. receives or passes on useful information; b. holds joint technical discussions and conferences; c. carries out joint activities to gather and evaluate information and to assess the threat situation; d. procures and passes on information to the requesting state in order to assess whether a person may work on classified foreign projects related to internal or external security or have access to classified foreign information, materials or facilities; e. participates in terms of Article 70 paragraph 3 in international automated information systems. 2 It may in consultation with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) post employees to Swiss representations abroad in order to promote international contacts. These employees shall work directly with the responsible authorities of the host state and third countries in o