General Secretariat GS-FDF

What General Secretariat GS-FDF does

The Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement (EFD), also referred to as the Federal Department of Finance (FDF/DFF) or General Secretariat GS-FDF, is one of the seven constitutional departments of the Swiss Federal Council, established in 1848 and headquartered at Bundesgasse 3, 3003 Bern. It manages federal finances, taxation, customs and border security, and financial-market stability, while also delivering cross-sectional services—including IT (via OFIT), personnel (via OFPER), construction and logistics (via OFCL)—to the entire federal administration. The department is led by Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter (head since January 2023) and comprises seven core operating units: the State Secretariat for International Finance (SFI), the Federal Finance Administration (AFF), the Federal Tax Administration (AFC), the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (OFDF), the Federal Office for IT and Telecommunications (OFIT), the Federal Office for Personnel (OFPER), and the Federal Office for Construction and Logistics (OFCL). Administratively attached entities include FINMA (financial-market supervision), the Swiss Federal Audit Office (CDF), and PUBLICA (federal pension fund).

EFD's product portfolio spans digital transformation programs and operational services. Key programs include DaziT (digitization of customs processes, fee collection and border controls targeting 2026), SUPERB (federal-administration process modernization), Administration numérique suisse (ANS, cross-cantonal/Confederal digital coordination since 2022), and the August 2021 blockchain/DLT legal framework. Operational digital services include the federal ePortal and the PrivaSphere secure electronic legal communication channel. Publications (tax statistics, "Finanzlage Schweiz", "Der Bund kurz erklärt" brochure/app) support public and educational outreach. Underlying technology is principally administrative-IT, electronic-identity, secure messaging, and regulatory-technology platforms rather than AI-native systems.

EFD does not operate a commercial revenue model. It is funded through the Swiss federal budget (taxes and duties), with 2024 federal procurement volume of 7.82 billion CHF. Service recipients span Swiss citizens and businesses (tax/customs), the federal administration (cross-sectional services), and the Swiss financial industry (~1,000+ crypto/blockchain firms plus banks, asset managers, and fintechs supervised via FINMA). Customer segments also extend internationally via IMF constituency leadership (since 1992), G20 finance-track participation, FATF engagement, and bilateral agreements including the December 2023 Berne Financial Services Agreement with the UK and the April 2026 World Bank cooperation on Ukrainian railway modernization.

Name

General Secretariat GS-FDF

Legal name

Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement (EFD)

Website

https://efd.admin.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1848

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Federal Department of Finance (EFD/FDF) is one of seven Swiss Federal Council departments, responsible for federal finances, taxation, customs enforcement, financial-market supervision, and cross-sectional IT and administrative services for the Swiss Confederation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Public Finance Administration

NAICS

Public Finance Activities (92113), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), International Affairs (92812), Public Finance Activities (921130), Administration of Economic Programs (926)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Government Policy, Strategy & Performance (incl. OMB-style functions) (BPAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Office / Cabinet Secretariat (BPAIAAAA), Withholding & Payroll Tax Administration (BPAIADAI), Intergovernmental Affairs & Federal Grants Administration (BPAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Public finance administration
• Federal tax administration
• Customs and border security
• Financial market regulation
• Government digital transformation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berna

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The General Secretariat GS-FDF (Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement EFD / Federal Department of Finance) is the Swiss federal department responsible for the state budget and financial policy. It collects federal taxes and customs duties, controls people and goods traffic at the border, and provides cross-departmental services for the entire federal administration, spanning IT, human resources, construction and logistics.

Product overview

The General Secretariat GS-FDF (Eidgenössisches Finanzdepartement / Federal Department of Finance) operates a portfolio of digital services, publications, and transformation programs. The core offerings include the EFD-Publikationen publication portal containing tax statistics, public finance reports, and educational materials; "Der Bund kurz erklärt" available as both printed brochure and mobile/tablet app; the ePortal services platform for administrative access; and several digital transformation programs including Administration numérique suisse for cross-cantonal digital coordination, Programme SUPERB for federal administrative process modernization, and Programme DaziT for customs digital transformation. Swiss Customs also provides digital services for border control and fee collection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EFD-Publikationen (FDF Publications) Online collection of current publications from the Federal Department of Finance including tax statistics, financial position Switzerland reports, public finances pocket statistics, and educational guides for future taxpayers.
• Der Bund kurz erklärt (The Confederation in Brief) Publication informing the public about Swiss politics, administration and justice, available as a printed brochure and as a mobile/tablet app.
• ePortal: Services Federal government services portal providing centralized access to various administrative services for citizens and businesses.
• Swiss Customs Digital Services Digital services provided by the Swiss customs administration for customs processes, fee collection and border control.

Quantifiable outcome

• Switzerland ranked among top global financial centers with favorable regulatory framework for fintech and blockchain
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• United Kingdom (Financial Services)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2023The Berne Financial Services Agreement signed on December 21, 2023, establishes mutual recognition in financial services between Switzerland and the UK, facilitating cross-border financial activities.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Switzerland has been an IMF member since 1992 and leads a voting constituency comprising Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Liechtenstein, Poland, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Switzerland actively participates in IMF surveillance, Spring Meetings, and Annual Meetings, contributing to global financial stability.
• World Bank GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland participates in World Bank Group meetings and assemblies, collaborating on development finance and economic stability initiatives. In April 2026, Switzerland signed an agreement with the World Bank for railway modernization projects in Ukraine.
• G20 (Group of Twenty)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland participates in G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meetings, contributing to discussions on global economic policy, financial stability, and international financial regulation.
• Financial Action Task Force (FATF/GAFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwitzerland participates in FATF ministerial meetings and supports the strategic priorities to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and financing of weapons of mass destruction proliferation.
• European Union (EU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral discussions on financial market policy, Switzerland-EU relations, and package deal negotiations conducted through various ministerial meetings and diplomatic channels.
• Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA)coreOthersFINMA is administratively attached to EFD and is responsible for supervision of financial markets and insurance matters.
• Swiss National Bank (SNB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose coordination with SNB on monetary policy, financial stability, and crisis management (including Credit Suisse emergency measures in 2023). SNB representatives participate in international meetings alongside EFD.
• Federal Council (Bundesrat)coreOthersEfd operates under the leadership of the Federal Council and specifically Federal Councilor Karin Keller-Sutter as head of department since January 2023.
• State Secretariat for International Finance (SFI)coreOthersSFI handles international financial matters and is one of the six federal offices under EFD, managing Switzerland's interests in international financial institutions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• European Commission - DG TAXUD: EU-level directorate for taxation and customs, with supranational remit over areas where EFD negotiates Swiss equivalents; comparable in customs and tax administration function but operates at the union level.

Direct peers

• Swedish Ministry of Finance: Sweden's finance ministry, with comparable responsibilities for fiscal policy, taxation, customs and financial market regulation within a parliamentary system structurally similar to Switzerland's.
• German Federal Ministry of Finance (Bundesministerium der Finanzen): Germany's federal finance ministry, with parallel responsibilities for federal budget, taxation, customs administration, financial market regulation and EU/international fiscal policy. Most operationally analogous peer among major European federal states.
• Dutch Ministry of Finance: Netherlands' finance ministry, with similar mandate over national budget, tax administration, customs and financial sector policy, and active role in EU economic governance.
• U.S. Department of the Treasury: Federal finance ministry of the United States, with direct mandate over federal finances, taxation (via IRS), customs (via CBP), financial market oversight and government-wide financial services. Closely comparable structure and policy remit to Switzerland's EFD.
• UK HM Treasury: United Kingdom's economic and finance ministry, responsible for public finances, taxation (via HMRC), financial services regulation and international financial cooperation. Counterparty to EFD under the 2023 Berne Financial Services Agreement.
• French Ministry of Economy and Finance: France's central economic and finance ministry covering public finances, taxation, customs (via DGDDI) and financial market supervision, with comparable breadth of cross-sectional administrative services.
• Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF): Austria's federal finance ministry, closely comparable in scope (budget, tax, customs, financial market supervision) and in operating as part of a federal structure with cantonal/state counterparts.

Others

• OECD: International economic organization driving policy analysis on tax, fiscal and financial market regulation; partner rather than competitor of EFD but central to the same cross-border policy and standards-setting environment.
• Bank for International Settlements (BIS): International organization fostering international monetary and financial cooperation and serving as a hub for central bank cooperation; complementary rather than competing with EFD, and closely engaged in Swiss-hosted financial diplomacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/efd_dff
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gs-efd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about General Secretariat GS-FDF